Another movie roundup

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Well, after seeing this one I now firmly believe that this shouldn't have been a series at all. The first movie, that Black Pearl one, that one was good and solid and had just enough humor and fun to it. Yes, Captain Jack Sparrow is a great character to watch, but that doesn't mean two more movies had to follow. Anyways, I digress. At World's End is a slow, slow, slow film that makes up things as it goes along. Pirate lords? Calypso can do this but can't do that? There's lots of explosions and "a-ha!" moments, but really it's kind of pointless. And I'm pretty sure that monkey should be d-e-a-d.

Kung Fu Hustle. Directed by Stephen Chow, this is a stylish and amusing film. It's basically a parody of the martial arts genre, brimming with over-the-top characters and a dancing gang called the Axes. The plot is humorous and engaging, and the masters in the film don't look like they should be a master of anything, but that's what makes it great. Lots of references to other films and a killer soundtrack make this a must-see for anyone looking for an enjoyable time.

Hostel: Part II. Gore porn. Essentially the same movie done over with hapless girls instead of horny guys. Disturbing and unrelentless. People with weak stomachs are warned to stay away. But that crazy twist ending? Uh, that wasn't a twist ending. It was just an ending. Stupid PR people. I can't really recommend it because there are a dozen of better horror films out there to see.

The Outback Stars - Review

The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald

A quick summary stolen from back cover: Um, none to steal. Just lots of blurbage.

How I’d sum it up to another reader: Well, you see…there’s this woman named Jodenny who was the only survivor of a horrible spaceship crash. Despite the tragedy, she’s itching to get back into space and lands a job in the Underway Stores department on the Aral Sea. Not the most ideal, but that’s the military for yah. There, she meets a young man with a dark past. Ooooh, cue sinuous music. No really, cue it. Anyways, soon a romance rises between the two even though fraternizing with different ranks is a no-no and a sure-fire way to ruin one’s career. As their unrequited love deepens, the two of them stumble upon an ancient piece of alien technology and an undermining plot aboard their own ship. Betrayal, sex, inventory reports galore…the book certainly isn’t your typical battlefield amongst the stars, but it sure is a whole lot of fun.

The cover sez and shows: A woman armed to the teeth in +15 Gold/-5 Mobility space armor floating in a portal of rainbow swirls. Below, tickling at her toes, are alien talons. And squiggling tentacles. I think…they could be roads. An expression of muted concentration shows who is and who isn’t ticklish these days.

Number of dragons, wizards, and reluctant farmer boys: Zero dragons, zero wizards, but a farm does show up later on planetside. There is, however, a bonus: one gecko.

Hardest name to pronounce in my head: Ishikawa.

Best part: The heroes of The Outback Stars aren’t high-powered pilots or trained alien-fighting marines. They deal with paperwork, relationships, and keeping a tidy uniform. Many of them like playing games on their gibs, both off- and on-duty, and the politics that intertwine with everyday relationships made for absorbing drama. I also enjoyed the book’s pace, which never hit a dull stride.

Worst part: I had some problems with the ending, and was hoping for some more closure on a couple of subplots. Obviously, not everything is over as a sequel is soon to follow (and I hope we learn just what happened to a certain someone that betrayed another certain someone in a certain time of need). Also, at times the romance between hard-headed Myell and no-crap Jodenny felt a little forced.

Random thoughts and theories: The alien technology? It’s neat stuff and I wished there was more of it in the book. In truth, the book isn’t all about that. It’s about people and the choices they make despite what is happening around them. Some science tricks factor into the plot, but for the most part, it’s left untouched.

If said book were a ride at a Disney theme park: It would most certainly be Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or as it’s called in my family—the Runaway Railroad. Like the ride, The Outback Stars bursts out of its holding zone. It does some quick drops and turns before slowing down, clanking this way and that, building, building, and climbing higher and higher until it reaches its climax and takes the reader for one last fast-paced whirl around the track.

If in school its grade would be: A-

Come on, write us a haiku:
On Australian ships
Love floats in zero-g, yes
The gecko is cool

Overall, y’all: It’s an entertaining read that never forgets to be serious at the right times. Though the on/off love affair between Jodenny and Myell isn’t exactly my cup of tea, but others might be all about the romance. By the third half of the book I was speeding through it. There are a lot of little plots surrounding the whopper, and with a huge assortment of crew members there’s always something going on that’s worth speculating. Most compelling of The Outback Stars is the system of seniority and command on the spaceships—much like as in Battlestar Galactica—and with McDonald’s history one can see the how and why of its sincerity. Definitely pick this one up.

Books I might or might not compare to: Redliners by David Drake, With the Lightnings by David Drake, Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold, and Field of Dishonor by David Weber

Some linkage: Check out Sandra McDonald's web page and The Outback Stars web page (where you can find some comics done by moi).

Yet another (sort of) review

Lois Tilton of IROSF reviewed Apex Digest, #9 (must be logged in to see) and said this of my piece of flash "Sonorous":

Someone digs up an old flute, but it was never meant for human ears. A vignette that seems to have vaguely mythical overtones. Or maybe not.

Doo doo dah

Allow me to direct you to Paul Jessup's blog where he is working on a novel and posting it as it happens. There's progress notes and rough drafts and musing. It's fantasy, with an interesting set of characters and magic. I'm enjoying it so far, and think it's a very neat way to go about showing off his work. Anyways, check it out. The novel's called Dust.

One day, I might do something like this. One day though. Not today or tomorrow. Sometime down the line.

Oh, and I got this in the mail today:



Nice!

New acquisitions

Got some new books recently. Most of them are for my ever-growing collection of Le Guin books, which pleases me to no end.

Planet of Exile by Ursula K. Le Guin (1966)
The Compass Rose by Ursula K. Le Guin (1982)
Orsinian Tales by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975)
The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975)
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (1987)
Sword and Sorceress XIII edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1996)
Sword and Sorceress XVIII edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley (2001)

Le Guin is one of my favorite short story writers, and to have snatched up copies of The Compass Rose, Orsinian Tales, and The Wind's Twelve Quarters for less than $3.00 each is a sign of a damned good haul. For Adams' work, I've only read the first book in the Hitchhiker's Guide series and the second book in his Dirk Gently novels. I did, however, enjoy his hapless detective a bit more than the reluctant hero traipsing through space. And, deep down, I do enjoy a good sword-and-sorcery tale now and again.

At the moment, the only book I know I eventually need to buy is George R.R. Martin's A Feast for Crows. But that one can wait.

Just For Now vid

Imogen Heap is one of my favorite musicians, and one day I will do a very long post on why I love her and think she's absolutely brilliant. For now, I'll share with you my favorite live performance of her song "Just For Now." I watch it at least once a day, and refuse to go to bed without hearing it. Ignore Zach Braff in the audience. Listen, watch, and enjoy.



::loves::

Sporty sale!

Nine-day sale of a dark fantasy horse racing piece, "The Sport of Kings," to Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic. The planned paperback anthology will be published in late 2007. You can see others that are going to be included here.

And here's an excerpt:

Wesley took a chance, betting on Autumn Spirit, and all his friends hooted and howled. The warstallions and hyperpulse c-steeds zipped forward at the sound of the gunshot, leaving the slow-trotting horse and rider half a mile back in a dusty haze.

"Come on!" Wesley stood from his seat and shook a fist at the track.

"You could've just given me the hundred chips, you know," one of his friends said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Or, you know, bet on something built for speed."

He shook his friend's hand away. "I don't care about enhancements and cyber-widgets--"

"Or money, for that matter!"

"Whatever."

Top 5 Videogame Intros

Over at Games Radar there's a list of what that team deems to be the Top 7 Rockin' Intros. Meh, I only enjoyed a couple. Games.net responded with what they thought were three better videogame intros. I liked their list better, mostly because I have played all three games and remember watching those things a bunch of time. But for you, my adoring fans, I give you my Top 5 Videogame Intros...

5. Resident Evil



I knew it was bad when I watched it all those years ago, but that didn't matter. This game freaked me out and I refused to play it alone. Now it's so cheesy and far from being frightening. It's like a botched episode of Ghost Hunters on the Sci-Fi Channel. And did I just hear an elephant in the background? But I have wonderful memories from it and that's why it's on the list.

4. Jumping Flash! 2



Just watch it and absorb the awesomeness...

3. Tekken 3



This was one of my favorite fighting games. I pretty much mastered just about every character, and come on, that techno music is horribly catchy. I still never understood why all these people needed to fight, and despite the intro's attempt to clear that up, it's just more fun to not think and watch all the fun stunts.

2. Suikoden



While GamesRadar picked Suikoden III and Games.net went with Suikoden II, I prefer the original. Just hearing the game's music brings me back in time...truly, a classic.

1. Final Fantasy 7



This game took over my life. And the intro FMV flick literally brings you right into the action. I still have my copy somewhere around here, and one day I'll replay it. That is, of course, when I have another 70+ hours to spare. Sure, the graphics don't look as great as they did...wow, ten years ago...but still, it's all about atmosphere and setting the scene. My favorite.

And there you have it. Yes, I know they're all Playstation games...that's my BFF. Well, got me through high school at least.

Rejecto!

Got in the mail yesterday from the Writers of the Future contest: "Your entry has received an Honorable Mention for the 2nd quarter 2007 Contest (January 1 to March 31, 2007). Achieving the level of Honorable Mention means that your story was in the top 10 - 15% of all entries received for the quarter and deserves special recognition as such."

Not a winner, but I've been told this is still very good. Oh well, already sent them a new story.

Prime Codex - Review

Personally, I like reprint anthologies. I don't subscribe to too many print zines (currently just Fantasy, Apex Digest, and Analog), which makes it hard to read everything that's out there. Luckily, Paper Golem's debut book Prime Codex brings together a plethora of stories by "neo-pros" that have appeared in both small press and the Big Three (er, Four, if you count Realms of Fantasy in there).

An introduction by Luc Reid explains what exactly Codex is and is about, and offers some insight into writing groups. Considering that writing is 9.9 times out of 10 a solitary act, it's interesting to read about why such critique groups exist and what they're specifically good at doing.

James Maxey's "To the East, a Bright Star," which first appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, opens Prime Codex with an unequivocal bang. More specifically, the end of the world via a string of scientifically predicted and unstoppable comets. For Tony, this is something he's been preparing for since it became public knowledge, and with only so much time remaining, he means to go out on his terms. That is until, while climbing the stairs of the old and abandoned Dixie Hotel, he finds a girl crying. Their interaction, while sparse, is fascinatingly captivating, so much so that just as Tony forgets about some of the things he'd been wanting to do during his last minutes alive, I too forgot where I truly was, and afterwards I glanced up at the sky, a little more curious about what I might've done in such a situation. A marvelous opening, Maxey's exploration of the choices of two people knowing just how finite life really is will certainly resonate with the reader for quite some time.

Time and time again, I find myself drawn to robot stories. Generally, I'm always pleased by what I've read, and "Ticktock Girl" by Cat Rambo is both creepy and enjoyable. It's told from a collection of memories from the titular protagonist, Athena, and through these we learn the how and why of her existence. Soon, very soon, we see what she can do as the hands of a self-proclaimed do-gooder. Sometimes it's hard to sympathize with robots, which is what secondary characters are for. Here, Athena's creatrix, Lady Sybil, is mainly an oppressive background voice, which makes it hard to relate to anyone in the story at all. Still, for its brevity and pace, the story works well and is even worth a second read right after to pick up on those little things missed the first time 'round.

Next up is a pristine piece of alternative history, originally found in an issue of Talebones. "The Man with Great Despair Behind his Eyes" by Ken Scholes follows Meriwether Lewis on a trek to explore the territories of the Louisiana Purchase after a piece of monetary paper from the future is placed in his hand. He soon discovers the Man-from-the-River who will take Lewis on a surreal and drug-laden trip (no pun intended) through the future. It's a touching tale, offering insight into Lewis and even the Man-from-the-River, who the reader learns is more than he says he is. Scholes has crafted a memorable twist here, one that neither offers up easy answers nor allows the characters to change their outcomes.

I enjoyed "Wizards' Encore" by Geoffrey Girard for the same reason that I liked The Prestige by Christopher Priest—the relentless and sometimes over-the-top rivalry that seems to exist between magicians. The Frenchman Jean Robert-Houdin has just conquered Kabir's father's kingdom, but Kabir means to show him a thing or two about true magic. There's some lovely imagery here, especially when the showmanship of Robert-Houdin takes full form. Plus, you know, bugs are pretty creepy in general but Girard takes them to a whole new level. Very engaging, and definitely one worth checking out.

"The Disenchantment of Kivron Ox-master" by Elaine Isaak is a fun story. Sometimes it feels very lighthearted, and towards the end more heavyhearted. Kivron is an Enchanter of sorts; he can makes animals more human, so much that his ox sings him songs and his camel complains to no end. He's on his way to the Conjerum to maybe find his place in the world. Unfortunately, a much more difficult task awaits him there, one that will never allow his name to die. There's a lot to like about Isaak's story, mostly having to do with the skeletal dragon. If anything, the story could've benefited from being longer, maybe to add more credibility to the rather subdued plot surprise there at the end. Still, the worldbuilding is intriguing, and Kivron and company make for enjoyable adventuring.

I originally read "Sister of the Hedge" by Jim C. Hines in Realms of Fantasy. Talia seeks safety at the Church of the Iron Cross, a haven surrounded by the Accursed Hedge. In the hedge, strewn up and pierced by a sea of thorns and vines, are the princes. It falls onto Talia's shoulders to decide if the Accursed Hedge is really just that, a sour gift from the Devil, a work of true and pernicious evil. I was pleasantly surprised by the story on its second read, and recommend it to those that like their fantasy a wee bit darker than their coffee. Wait, that doesn't really make any sense. Scratch that—just read it, and I'd like to assume that this is a glimpse of what's to come from Hines in his forthcoming novel The Stepsister Scheme from DAW Books, but I'm probably wrong. Personally, I'd like to see more of his sullen work than that of the light-natured.

A short piece that is positively sure to get you to mutter "a-ha!" at its cruelly twisted reveal, "Rampion" by Mary Robinette Kowal is the sort of story that is most enjoyable on its first read. Read it without distractions, and enjoy.

"Salt of Judas" by Eric James Stone tells the story of a painter, his obsession with an unobtainable woman, and that ol' finger-wagging warning of being careful of what one wishes for. A new apothecary has taken up residence and offers landscape-connoisseur Osbert the chance to bring his art to life. On the side, Osbert has been churning out portraits of "her," and is more than eager to hear her speak to him. Though it's a bit slow in the beginning—and a tad irking when Osbert and the apothecary carry out a rather exposition-heavy bit of dialogue early on—Stone makes it all worth it. The ending didn't actually happen like I'd suspected it might, and it's clear he writes very well. The prose itself was like a painting, swirling with color and texture, even some soul-paint as it came to life as Obsert began to realize his errors.

If there's a story in Prime Codex that just did nothing for me, unfortunately, this is it. "Button by Button" by E. Catherine Tobler is tale of companionship. Alice spies a mysterious man in her garden, and quickly learns that he is different for a most certain reason. Still, she finds herself drawn to him and his obscure ways. This piece felt very slow, and while the reveal of Edward O'Brien's true identity definitely grabbed my attention, everything still felt underdeveloped. Or maybe I just didn't really care about the characters, making their actions and emotions flat in my eyes. Others might see it in a different light though.

Jeremy Aldrich is taking on the case of proving suspected killer Sable innocent in "Black Boxes" by Matthew S. Rotundo. Unfortunately for him, the evidence against his client is far from dismissible. Memory-storing boxes in people's heads allow for picture-perfect playbacks of events, yet Sable mutilated the bodies of his victims, stealing away their black boxes, leading many to believe the acts were both cruel and pre-meditated. Aldrich can't point his finger on it, but something about the way his client's muttering tells him this case isn't so simply put. Having a plot akin to that of Primal Fear, "Black Boxes" plays out a bit too predictable for my tastes. I did, however, like a lot of the futurizing (Paolo Bacigalupi's word, not mine) though I can't confidently say I understood the ending; maybe it moved too fast to reach its resolution, or maybe I don't necessarily understand how a court system works. Yeah, it's probably the latter.

"Tides" by Tobias S. Buckell takes us to a tall-village where Siana's sister Miasia, long thought to be dead, has returned from the Coastal War. At first, Siana is skeptical, seeing just how much older Miasia is than her (and her mother!), but when she loses the bedroom that was promised to her she does what any little girl angry at the world might. She leaves, dangerous as it might be with the tides of the Roranraka sea forever changing. Miasia goes after her, forcing Siana into a situation where she sees the true meaning of being unselfish. The worldbuilding is phenomenal here, and despite the terrors of battle looming in the background it never becomes a preachy war story. "Tides" is a moving coming-of-age tale full of magic and emotion, and certainly a standout in Prime Codex.

The Old Woman in a Shoe is trying to be evicted by many sinuous governmental types in "Urban Renewal" by Tom Pendergrass. Told through my least favorite of narrative devices—a series of letters—we learn of the plans put into action and how much they fall apart when up against the resilient geriatric. I actually enjoyed this short piece much more than I'd expected to, and each letter's style is different enough that they can stand as characters themselves. It's fun, but not overly deep.

In "As the Stars of the Sky" by Mike Shultz, Dave must learn to communicate effectively with a living ship in order to survive. It's a game of questions and answers, and though at first it might seem as Dave's figured out a way to have the ship, called Panel, bring him water and food, that is not it at all. In fact, the ship most certainly has other ideas in store. Told in first person, it's easy to understand Dave's frustration with Panel. It reminded me briefly of "Painwise" by James Tiptree, Jr. The story hints at many things, such as an alien species called the Trill, but mostly stays focused on the stressful relationship of Dave and Panel. It's well-written, clever, and engrossing.

"Rainmakers" by Ruth Nestvold takes place on the planet Chepanek, where colonization hasn't been going perfectly. An axial tilt forces the planet's inhabitants to constantly migrate from one hemisphere to the other. This is done based on the decision of "rainmakers," but when a technologically-advanced colonization force begins using its tools to allow for permanent settlement, an ultimatum is given. Rekaya, an agent for the Foreign Worlds Service, is sent in to negotiate. I really enjoyed this story; it's smart, beautifully written, and brimming with difficult yet grabbing subjects. First, there's colonization and how when it's forced upon a people it can be far more bad than good. Second is Rekaya and her sexuality, a clear no-no to the people of Chepanek, which already puts her at a disadvantage. And third, the difficulty in understanding a foreign culture firsthand. It ends somewhat abruptly, but with just enough resolved. The story originally ran in Asimov's Science Fiction.

There's a talking otter in "Radical Acceptance" by David W. Goldman, which is more than enough reason for me to give it two thumbs up. Well, not an otter per say, but a six-legged otter-like species from outer space. They've come to Earth to study humans, but as Jack Karolev is invited to a private meeting with one of them in a bubbling hot tub he stumbles upon the truth of their arrival. The otter is a silly thing, and while it tries to be deep and philosophical I couldn't help but be put off a bit by some of its subject matters. Sci-fi television shows, DVDs, classic novels. It all seemed a bit too fannish, mostly things that maybe Goldman liked and wanted to talk about without seeming like a big floating head of opinions. Still, the lengthy discussion between Jack and the otter has its moments, and while the otter's fascination with angels mystified me I couldn't help not reading from start to finish. If anything, it ends Prime Codex on a whimsical note.

This anthology contains a strong selection of stories by names that are positively to remain staples in the field for years to come. Prime Codex has a bit of everything as well: from crisp offerings of science fiction to haunting tales of pure, magical fantasy, everything within is worthwhile. An excellent debut from Paper Golem, with smart choices from Lawrence M. Schoen and Michael Livingston. Come on, order your copy.

Another review

There's a new review of Apex Digest, #9 over at Tangent Online by Scott Sandridge, and he says this of my story "Sonorous":

“Sonorous” by Paul Abbamondi is about attracting the beast with music, but not in the way you’d want to. I often grit my teeth when reading a story in second person present, but it does seem to be an effective device with flash fiction pieces like Abbamondi’s tale. A short and sweet read. Well, sweet in a sick and twisted kind of way.

Thanks, Scott! I'll take "sick and twisted" any day.

Please forgive me

Please forgive me, blessed blog, but it's been nearly two months since my last confession to-do-list. I guess, for a while there, I was keeping it all in my head. I don't know how I did it, I really don't. I mean, seventy-five percent of the reason of having a blog is to list shtuff that needs to get done (the remaining twenty-five percent is spent on cat macros and misdirected hate). And with that said...

• Review Gradisil by Adam Roberts (I finished reading it last week)
• Review Prime Codex edited by Lawrence M. Schoen and Michael Livingston (only a few stories left to read)
• Review Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell (very much looking forward to starting this one)

Hmm, thought I had more to do than that. Well, of course write more stories and draw more comics, but I no longer add those to the lists since they've become so routine.

Quick movie roundup

Casino Royale. I really liked this. Daniel Craig makes for a strong if rash-minded Bond, and here we get to see him just at the beginning of his career. It's nice to see Bond make mistakes, and the opening action scene of him running through and up a construction site is really something that needs to be seen. Took me some time to figure out the actual plot of the thing, but there was always something happening to keep my attention. Definitely worth checking out.

The Host. Crazy, unexplainable fun. Bad science, awesome monster, and some neat filming tricks make this Japanese horror flick five steps above a semi-bad SciFi Channel bomb. Did you follow that? No? Well, if you like straightforward monster movies, this is your sirloin steak.

Clerks 2. Had some funny parts, brought back funny characters that just weren't as funny as they used to be, and was sort of funny but definitely forgettable. Where the original was winsome and poignant despite its crude humor, it felt like Randal and company here were just trying to be as disgustingly offensive as possible. Didn't complete work for me, and I was a bit letdown overall. Oh well, can't ever take Mallrats away from me.

The Zodiac. So, about forty-five minutes into the film I began wondering where the hell Jake Gyllenhaal was. Turned out I'm an idiot-and-a-half and was watching THE Zodiac, a less-than-impressive film about the unknown serial killer that was released in 2005. Zodiac (without the effing THE) came out in 2007, and was the one I wanted to see but the world is just one cruel, spinning sphere of irony. I mean, it was a decent film and some of the shooting scenes played out interestingly, but overall I wanted the newer, shinier version.

To blame!

I blame the lack of substantial updates on the fact that I've gotten back into the habit of heavily playing Final Fantasy XII. I'm at the point where my next destination is the big and final battle, which means I'm trying to complete as much of the sidequests as I can before I head into the unknown. Hmm...I have about 20 or so hunts left to do, seven Espers still to find, fight, and conquer, and a small number of random quests for those extra hard-to-find weapons. I really do love this game.

Anyways, actual content forthcoming.

Free shtuff

So, I got some things in the mail this week. No candy, but I'm not going to turn away free books...



Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell. I really enjoyed his debut novel, Crystal Rain, last year and am definitely looking forward to diving into this one. Just by the cover alone, I know it's going to be a fast-moving and fun.



Prime Codex edited by Lawrence M. Schoen and Michael Livingston. A reprint anthology, focusing on more upcoming writers than name brands. The TOC looks good, and there's even a story from one of the issues of Shimmer that I also appeared in. Hey, what, no love for the P-man?



Chrono Mechanics by Art Thibert. I got this for free from Dave Carter's FreeComicBookMonth contest that he ran all during May. Looks pretty interesting, and it's definitely off-the-wall which, not surprisingly, is perfect for my tastes.

The Tenth Circle - Review

I've been trying to step out of solely reading genre titles lately (namely fantasy and science fiction), and my sister suggested Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle to me, knowing that a certain aspect of it would definitely appeal to me: its comic book-ness. Yeah, not a real term. Please file your complaint elsewhere if it bothers you. But what does it mean, you ask? Well, one of the main characters in The Tenth Circle is Daniel Stone, a comic book artist that works for the bigwigs in the business, and placed at the end of each chapter are a few pages from his latest work, a work that both mirrors the story's plot while conveying its own journey through the many circles of Hell.

First, I'll admit that I've always been intrigued by the mythology (er, probably not the best way to categorize something so epic) of Dante's Inferno. So I was curious to see the how it was going to be used in The Tenth Circle.

Simply put, this is the story of a breaking family. There's Daniel Stone, previously mentioned above, who's childhood of being the only white boy in an Eskimo village twisted him into a spiteful youth that robbed and cheated his way to freedom. His wife, Laura, teaches about Dante's Inferno at the local college while knowingly ruining her marriage with a boy half her age. Lastly, we have Trixie Stone, a teenage girl doing teenage things and thinking teenage thoughts. You know, how love is eternal and true, how the world isn't fair, how getting revenge against the boy that broke her heart might be a good thing. Unfortunately, it isn't. A horrible act of violence toward her sends her family into the blender, and as murder and rape are the headlining topics soon whispered throughout their usually quiet town, a family fights to understand one another, and possibly to save one another.

Suspense and plot-twists galore, The Tenth Circle's most appealing aspect are its characters: rage-aholic Daniel, conflicted Laura, angst-laden Trixie, the charming and sometimes seemingly innocent ex-boyfriend Jason, the detective who lost his daughter to drugs, even Wildclaw, the desperate superhero born from Daniel's imagination. These characters are beyond flawed, and yet, completely likeable. The reader feels for Trixie after what happens to her, the reader feels for Jason who is supposedly to blame, the reader feels for Daniel and Laura, a married couple that must put aside their own selfish problems to protect their child from further harm.

I did have some problems with The Tenth Circle. Some parts really asked me to stretch--emotionally, in most cases--as young Trixie manages to run away from Bethel, Maine to Bethel, Alaska with little trouble, and Laura's big reveal in the end felt rather...forced. Or, rather, out of character. Either way, everything leading up to it is marvelous, complicated, and interesting. Some of what happens seems too convenient, but often it isn't; it's just how these characters react and how their stories unfold.

Picoult doesn't just use rape and teen suicide as mere plot devices. She slaps them down on the lab table, cuts them open, sees how they work, gets right into them as far as humanly possible. It's by doing this that she gains such insight, whether it's Trixie understanding that people aren't born pretty or Daniel learning where all his hate and rage hid when no one's around. The Tenth Circle could've easily fallen on its face with too much preaching or This Act of Violence is Bad Bad Bad, but Picoult handles the book's themes much more quietly.

Plus, you know, I've got a soft spot for comic book superheroes. Wildclaw is the name of Daniel Stone's gifted/cursed alterego. The art in The Tenth Circle is done by Dustin Weaver, and it can be read all on its own for an engaging story of Wildclaw's trek through Hell to get back his daughter. Hidden within the artwork, a secret message reveals a message from Jodi Picoult on the book's theme.

So, overall, good stuff. Thanks to my sister again, I now have Picoult's Salem Falls on my desk to devour next. Mmm witchcraft...

Progress notes for May 29, 2007

Whew, story is done. Time to let it sit for a few days and then I'll edit it with zero mercy.

"The Clouds are Calling"

New Words: 1,084
Total Words: 2,578
Pages: 7
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: DONE
Stimulants: Some wine
Songs played loudly: "Tie the Rope" by The Format
Exercise: Walk at the park
Mail: Couple rejections, and an awesome card from my sister
Darling du Jour: I swallowed, listening to Tom's father ramble on about what he's done in life, what he has put together for his family, how his own father never thought he'd be anything—certainly not a housemaster—and that it was all too much and now there was nothing left to gain. I listened hard as he said it, trying to mishear the words, catch something in the background. Nothing.
Other writing-related work: Nada
The Internet is full of Things: Interesting post on the death of serious science fiction over at PopMatters.

Progress notes for May 24, 2007

LOST season finale? Some good stuff there, some really good stuff. I liked a lot of the little things more than the big explosions--though they were cool. For example, ***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER*** when Sawyer shoots Mr. Friendly Tom straight in the chest without a minute's hesitation. Perfect. That conman has nothing to live for now that he's done what he's longed to do and it's all downhill for him. And Hurley saving the boys...hee...I have to admit I loved it. Granted, how one drives a van without any noise through a pathless jungle irks me, but what are you gonna do. The flashforward was cool. Jack crying? Notsomuch.

Anyways, the season started slow but these last few episodes have been simply fantastic. I hate the show. I love the show. I can't wait for the next season.

Barely any big amount of wordage today, but writing is writing. I'll take whatever words I can, you know. And this will probably be the last update until the holiday weekend tis over. Guess I'll just let the story continue to ferment for a bit.

"The Clouds are Calling"

New Words: 230
Total Words: 1,724
Pages: 4
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: James has asked a question and now I must figure out the answer. Woo.
Stimulants: Green tea
Songs played loudly: "Card House Dreamer" by This Providence
Exercise: Does walking around Target for an hour count?
Mail: No mail, boo
Darling du Jour: N/A
Other writing-related work: Slushed
The Internet is full of Things: For those that grew up on 1980s and 1990s cartoons (meaning me, me, me), I give you Cracked's 15 (Painfully) Unforgettable Cartoon Theme Songs. Be prepared to have them in your head for a few hours. Gummi bears, bouncing here and there...

Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures

It only took me a little over nine months, but last night I finished up reading Jeff Smith's Bone, the one volume edition that clocks in at over 1,300 pages. I'd originally started out reading a few pages a night, but The Busy kicked in and things slowed down. This was not Bone's fault. In short, I absolutely loved it.

The story--despite its large pockets of humor--is massively epic. It begins with the three Bone cousins: slightly aloof Smiley Bone, greedy Phoncible P. "Phoney" Bone, and the sensible one stuck between them Fone Bone. They've been run out of Boneville, with the blame falling on wannabe Mayor Phoney's shoulders. The trio ends up in a valley where they end up separated. Locust and rat creatures are chasing after them, and soon the oblivious Bone cousins are swept into a dangerous adventure to stop the Lord of the Locust from awakening.

Jeff Smith's artwork is admirable. The clash of the cartoony Bones and the medieval fantasy landscape, inhabited by more lifelike townsfolk, actually works in a way I wasn't expecting. It's charming, and by the hundredth page it's no longer even something to worry about. Bone is filled with recognizable and lovable characters, and even if some of them are a bit cliche, such as Thorn Harvestar, the farm girl that turns out to be a royal princess, but all is forgiveable. Smith knows how to write, how to pace a plot, how to make his characters emote with the lift of an eyebrow.

Oh, and Rose "Gran'ma" Ben and the Great Cow Race? Wonderful.

If you haven't checked out Bone (and I'm probably the only one late to this party), please do so now. It's completely worth the time.

Progress notes for May 22, 2007

Some writing. I just realized this evening how it's going to end, and already I'm worried about it. It's not going to be a happy ending. It's just going to be realistic. Well, nine times out of ten, I can't commit myself to churn out a cheerful conclusion. That's just not how the world works, folks.

"The Clouds are Calling"

New Words: 435
Total Words: 1,493
Pages: 4
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: End of scene, need to switch back to the present
Stimulants: Two cups of coffee
Songs played loudly: "Be My Escape" by Relient K
Exercise: A short walk outside
Mail: No mail
Darling du Jour: Tom entered the tea room with a digi-album in hand, family photos flashing on its cover in two-second intervals. He wore a cobalt suit without the jacket, and his square head seemed odd atop his chunky form. I greeted him with a handshake. My grip was stronger than his.
Other writing-related work: Nada
The Internet is full of Things: Here's the first official teaser trailer for The Golden Compass:

Caught in a lie!

Okay, I totally lied. Just banged out a piece of flash fiction called "Performing Tricks" at 900 words. Weird. It just kind of came to me so I sat down, wrote it, and submitted it. All within like an hour and a half. Some days I can't even write a paragraph...

Also, Heroes finale? Seriously good stuff. Resolved a lot, but still took it to new places. I was kind of hoping for dinosaurs, but you can't win 'em all...

Nuffin'

No writing yesterday and probably no writing tonight. I do not believe the Muse has vanished. More like the Busy has taken residence in my head for a bit. Please leave all forms of sympathy, mockery, and cheese sandwiches in the comment field below.

Progress notes for May 19, 2007

I'd tell y'all to watch the all-day marathon of Heroes on the Sci-Fi Channel, but it's almost over now. Oh wells. Luckily, I've now been able to catch up on most of the episodes I've missed. Sylar is scary...

And, yay, I've started a new story. Fun voice, cloud cameras, and a mysterious suicide in an updated and thriving New York City. You know, one of those stories. We'll see where it goes.

"The Clouds are Calling"

New Words: 1,057
Total Words: 1,057
Pages: 3
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: End of scene
Stimulants: Hazelnut frapp from Starbucks
Songs played loudly: "So Alive" by Ryan Adams
Exercise: Boo, it's been rainy all day
Mail: Snailmailed a sub to Realms of Fantasy
Darling du Jour: Ignoble? Maybe. The man flew like a rock, and the city cried and shook, sick at the loss of such a precious elite.
Other writing-related work: Nada
The Internet is full of Things: Miss Snark is retiring.

Cool cover art

Here's the cover art for the first issue of Murky Depths, which my story "67442" will be appearing in:



Very excited about this. The lineup looks awesome, and hey, check out that fish-monster-woman-thingy. You know that's just so freaking scary that you'd have to buy an issue so that it wouldn't chase you in your nightmares.

New web site

MyLifeComics has packed up its junk, hired a moving team, and relocated from WebComicsNation to WordPress. I think it'll be much happier there. Less neighbors, more room for expansion. That sort of thing. Anyways, here's the new link to the site:

http://mylifecomics.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

Monday movie roundup

I've checked out some movies recently though not as many as, say, a high-schooler or that Ebert fellow. Of the three latest cinematic experiences, I loved one, liked one, and felt rather annoyed at one. Read on for answers...

Spider-Man 3. Well, it's been about three years since Peter Parker went unmasked to bear brawn and brains against evil banktellers, runaway trains, and that scientist that so wanted to be an octopus. He's back for a third spin, and though the world (i.e., New York City) loves him dearly, not all is happy in mundaneland. Pete's oblivious to MJ's pouty face, what with her Broadway career bombing worse than Stan Lee's stupidly useless and contractual cameo. His best friend, Harry, hates him. And, shocking shocking shocking, the man everyone believed had murdered Uncle Ben turned out to be innocent. Instead, we get the soon-to-be-Sandman, motivated by a locket and the thought of saving his child from...something. They never really said. I'm going to assume she's a heroin addict. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand alien goo has invaded the city, or rather just Parker's world where it can knit and sew and overall make him look exactly like Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes. Oh, and there's some throwaway characters: Gwen Staci, Eddie Brock/Venom, and Dr. Connors.

I went into the movie initially thinking that they were trying to cram too much into one film. I think I might have been right. The alien symbiote storyline has always been a favorite of mine, and it was not handled well enough here. In fact, this storyline could have been the whole movie if done correctly. Instead, the black shtuff let Tiger be a bit of a Jackass while taking Eddie Brock to a whole new level (from smug to dangerously smug). I'm still meh about the Sandman; his special effects were really neat, and they nailed him exactly like how he was able to recreate his clothing/hair and such from sand. Perfect. But still, reworking the existing storyline of Spider-Man just to fit a supervillain into the mold was annoying. I'd call it lazy, too, but it looked like a lot of work to reshoot those older scenes. Anyways, there's battles and tears and a few flickers of comicy humor. Having Spidey unmasked for most of these scenes was a benefit. Voiceovers can only convey so much. No one really important bites it (sorry, Harry), and looks to be back to normal. Maybe? I've heard there's going to be more films. Ugh. I'd watch if they brought out Black Cat, Dagger and Cloak, possibly Kraven. Maybe Rhino. But they'd need to replace MJ before I even thought of devoting more time to the franchise.

I did, however, enjoy Bruce Campbell. That's what I said: Peh-ker.

The Reaping. I still worry that a majority of folks might call this film by the wrong name of The Raping...Of Customers...And Their Time...Mostly Their Wallets. Hmm, that title might be too long. Regardless, we have a movie (mostly) about the ten plagues of ancient Egypt. You know, back when plagues were the shit. Rivers turning to blood, disease on livestock, locust, death of firstborn, cartons containing Rocky Road ice cream exploding upon human contact. Those ones.

Hilary Swank, after thwarting the evil that is low-income classrooms in Freedom Writers, is called upon to sort out a miracle happening in a backwater locale filled with some not-so-wholesome inhabitants. It's science VS. faith, except there's very little science and a whole lotta faith. Swank's character, Kat Winter, only once really blurts out solid facts to dispute that which is happening around her. When the little devil girl begins summoning magical fireballs from the midnight sky to smite the first-borns, well...you're just going to have to believe as well. I was hoping for more of a serious film that tackled such issues, that really stretched the argument of what could and what could not happen. Instead, it's a horror film with some jumps and twisty turns that is formulaic in its tepid meandering. Visually, the river of blood was impressive, and the overused quick flashes of scary things did their job to a J. There's room for a sequel, and I hope they answer this question: Why did the director feel the need to spend a good ten minutes on windchime shots when they had no purpose in the film? Why? Dear director whatshisname, may the heavens toss dead frogs on your doorstep until you solve this mystery. I know you did it to be a moron, but I have faith the answer is otherwise.

The Prestige (on DVD). I think I'll be sad when the Harry Potter films end, and not because I'm a Professor Snape fanboy (I am), but it'll make it much harder for film companies to put out movies with magicians in 'em on a yearly basis. So when both The Illusionist and The Prestige were fighting for attention, I saw Ed Norton flick and enjoyed it. Granted, I had problems with it and I'm not too interested in a lovey dovey tale...thankfully, The Prestige offered a completely different story. Two magicians trying to one-up the other, being sneaky and cruel, all while Wolverine searches out David Bowie and Gollum to learn the magic of electricity. Or teleportation. Cloning, maybe. Anyways, it's a slow movie, building up to those precious last minutes where everything comes together. I loved it. I can't say why though. I went into the movie un-spoiled, and generally was surprised by the big reveal (aka the prestige). The competition between two magicians so devoted to their trade was admirable; they knew they weren't doing real magic, but to them it was more than that. It was a show, a gasp, a round of applause. I rarely watch extras on my DVDs, but this time I did (there could have been more), and I'm looking forward to sitting down and re-watching it sometime. To try and catch all those clues, see the magic sparkling just in the background, unclear but there...

"Sonorous" reviewed again

Matt Wallace, co-editor of Murky Depths, has posted a review of Apex Digest #9, and of my work he writes this (no, I did not bribe him with cookies):

At the end of every issue, Apex features a "Parting Shot" of flash fiction. This issue's parting shot is "Sonorous" by Paul Abbamondi, who is a very talented dude. We bought a similarly short piece of his called "67442" for the first issue of Murky Depths. While "67442" is about the replicant next door, "Sonorous" is about the thing waiting in the darkness. And despite what you may have learned from British dogging websites, you really shouldn't blow on things you find in the woods. Great piece. One of the better Apex parting shots I've read.

I'm quite pleased that no one has called it stinky yet. Any takers? Thanks, Matt! A new batch of cookies is on the wa...I mean, uh...ah, nevermind.

Heliotrope, #2

I've got some mandatory pimpage to do for the cohorts over at FantasyBookSpot. The long-awaited second issue of Heliotrope is now live and, thankfully, this time they have some HTML pages set up for those that are anti-PDFs. Looks to be an interesting issue (though zero non-fiction this time around, which, considering the length between this and the first issue, is a bit of a letdown), containing work from January Mortimer, Gerald Houarner, Vylar Kaftan, and Sonya Taaffe. So, er, go check it out!



Do I get any pay for this, Damon? Peanuts?

Progress notes for May 8, 2007

Today I discovered some of the free comic books available online over at Image Comics. While perusing their diverse (and I do mean diverse, here) selection, one immediately caught my eye:



This is set in a futuristic universe where elephants are genetically created to be used as massive weapons of destruction. So we meet Ebony (ugh), an elephantman who is trying to get over his past, as he spends some time chatting with a little girl named Savannah (double ugh). The girl's innocent questions force Ebony to relive the oh-so-terrible moments of his gray life, and the story plays out rather like one might expect. The artwork is nothing to stampede over (see, I can be puny too), but I did enjoy the coloring and a few of the action shots. The story really lost me though, and I wished this had been something else entirely. Maybe something really serious or something completely comical; at the moment, it's kind of in the middle of those two, a mix that doesn't deliver on either account. Ever since reading Michael Bishop's "Bears Discover Smut," I've had a soft spot for worlds where enhanced animal lifeforms live among us like good-natured human beings. Alas, Elephantmen #1 is nothing short of stock material; hopefully I can find a better comic to read next. I believe they have one at Image Comics where the Pope does hand-to-hand battle with Satan's demons. Amen to that!

Oh, I also finished my latest short story. Now to let it sit and smell for a bit before I read through it again with my editing eye turned up to extreme prejudice. But, hey, it's done, and that's nice to know.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 543
Total Words: 5,371
Pages: 13 (26 in proper manuscript form)
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Because it's done...yay!
Stimulants: Coffee
Songs played loudly: "Bonnie Taylor Shakedown" by Hellogoodbye
Exercise: 4,284 steps at the park
Mail: Nothing really though I did re-new my subscription to Apex Digest thanks to a big bully named The Sizemore
Darling du Jour: Emily spent the remainder of the night sitting on the floor with her computer off and the window open. Outside, life in West County went on without change. Milo poured out a wrenching cover of "Less Than Zero" by Elvis Costello; at this Martin appeared, and she took him in her arms and hugged him until he squirmed.
Other writing-related work: Read more of a friend's novel
The Internet is full of Things: Eh...see above?

Progress notes for May 7, 2007

Whew, had a really tough scene to write tonight. Hopefully that means it turned out well considering how emotionally tied to it I felt. Anyways, just one final scene to write and then I can call it an official first draft.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 995
Total Words: 4,827
Pages: 12
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Mentally exhausted
Stimulants: Ice cream!
Songs played loudly: "Ideas" by Days Away
Exercise: Quick walk outside
Mail: A nice, personal rejection from ASIM that had been held to the final round ::snartleblast::
Darling du Jour: N/A
Other writing-related work: N/A
The Internet is full of Things: LOST is officially ending in 2010. So, they're stretching it out into three shorter seasons. Meh. I'll still watch, but I wished that Season 4 was going to be the final one. Oh wells.

Progress notes for May 6, 2007

This is turning into the story that won't end. I've had to abandon my initial plot when I stumbled into a really really really deep hole with no way out. There was no plausible way to save the characters, and they deserve saving. So, now, after a few reshaping of lines, they're going to jail for a bit. Hooray!

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 845
Total Words: 3,832
Pages: 9 and a half
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Must work out what happens next, and for the love of all that is holy, WHY
Stimulants: Coronas
Songs played loudly: "I'm Asking Her To Stay" by Sherwood
Exercise: Um, does running errands count?
Mail: Nomail, tis Sunday
Darling du Jour: "Great. You leaving me to eat salads for eternity? Contrary to what you might think, I'm not in love with the sound of my own voice. There had actually been a time when meow was what I thought, and meow was what came out of my mouth." He sunk down, curling his feet beneath his small body. "I guess those were the days."
Other writing-related work: Toying with novel stuff
The Internet is full of Things: Spider-Man 3 sets a new opening-day record with $55.8 million. Of the many that have already seen the film, alas, I'm not one. Hopefully by next weekend though...

Freeeeeeee comics

Did everyone celebrate Cinco de Mayo by picking up free comic books? If not, shame on you and your dog.

Unfortunately, the shop I hit up did not have any more Pirates vs. Ninjas comics. I'm assuming it was either very popular or an entire clan of ninjas smokebombed the shop, stole every issue, and left without a trace. Yeah, it could've been that. Well, here's what I got instead:

Owly is a quiet character created by Andy Runton, but that's what makes him so endearing. In this issue, titled "Helping Hands," Owly must use what he remembers of his past to help his friend Bunny face her fears of the impending Springtime. The artwork is simple, but very telling, which more or less makes up for Owly and company's lack of speaking. It might be a bit kiddie for some, but I still enjoyed it regardless. Also, bonus bonus bonus, a quick six-page Korgi tale in the back by Christian Slade. Corgis are cool dogs, and corgis named Korgi are even cooler.

This is really three different comics rolled into one book. More for the money! Er, wait...these were all free to begin with. Oh wells. These were conceived by Gerald Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance, with artwork Gabriel Bá and Dave Stewart. The Umbrella Academy has a lot of neat things to it, namely the characters. They're unique and well-designed, the coloring on them top-notch. What's presented here is merely a teaser for the upcoming series, and well, it worked. I want more.

Ah, the crème de la crème. Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero takes up back to a less stressful time, where the crew of the famous battleship could walk its halls with little to no hesitation in their steps. The events of this new series from creative team of Brandon Jerwa and Stephen Segovia take place two years before the Cylon Holocaust. We're shown younger, more carefree characters: Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh; they really nailed these two here, hitting their dialogue and banter perfectly while still allowing each to be their own person. If this is any indication of what a Caprica-like television season could be, bring it the frak on.

Sickly update

Sick today, so no progress on "The Songs He'd Sing." I am looking to finish it off by the end of the weekend. The ending isn't looking too bright in it, but hey, that's how these things go sometimes. Life isn't always teddy bears and prancing elves.

Also, for those that are unaware, Saturday is the best holiday ever: Free Comic Book Day.

Of them all, I really want this one the most:

Pirates vs. Ninjas #1—FCBD EDITION
by Fred Perry & Wes Hartman, & Craig Babiar
Featuring a flip cover by Fred Perry and special FCBD-only material! It’s no secret that pirates and ninjas have always been at odds. At long last, two of history's most formidable opponents in physical combat will meet on the field of destiny for the ultimate showdown. Throughout the millennia, these natural enemies have left death and despair in their wake. Now, they face each other to battle for supremacy. Let the greatest battle of all time commence! 32pgs, B&W

Flip cover! Supremacy! NINJAS!

Progress notes for May 2, 2007

For those that pay attention, you'll begin to notice some different book covers under the Currently Reading column over there --->. I have a couple of non-genre books that I've been wanting to read lately. It'll be weird not to be reading about elves, robots, and spaceships for a bit, but that's all right. So first up is Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle, which is to be followed by Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 416
Total Words: 2,823
Pages: 7
Deadline: None, la la laaa
Reason for stopping: LOST is coming on and it's a John Locke-episode! MUST-WATCH-TV!
Stimulants: Is an apple stimulating?
Songs played loudly: "I Don't Love You" by My Chemical Romance
Exercise: 3,837 steps
Mail: One form rejection
Darling du Jour: "Are you going in the fridge tonight?"
She clicked her tongue. "No. No, not tonight. Too risky."
Other writing-related work: Nothin'
The Internet is full of Things: For those of you that have deep, emotional connections with computers (much akin to old ladies and their cats), do not watch the video below. The violence level in it would be labeled THREAT ORANGE.

Progress notes for May 1, 2007

I am 79% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

This--as I type with jittery hands from my fourth cup of coffee today--comes as no surprise. How addicted are you? If you beat me, you get to buy the next round of joe. Sucks to be you!

Oh, and happy May Day!

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 439
Total Words: 2,407
Pages: 6
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Need to think some thingies out
Stimulants: See above
Songs played loudly: "Gravity" by John Mayer, "Belt" by Say Anything
Exercise: Nada, rainy day
Mail: Signed contracts for Strange Stories of Sand and Sea and will be dropping them in the mail tomorrow
Darling du Jour: "Yup." He squirmed, wanting down. "You forgot to mention the dog though."
"Must be new."
He licked a paw. "No worries. The thing couldn't even talk. Yap, yap, yap."
Other writing-related work: Contract reading and signing
The Internet is full of Things: I really love Michel Gagné's work, and he's put up his sold-out book Frenzied Fauna: From A to Z online for free. So, you know, check it out! I'm quite smitten with his version of sheep.

Sonorous reviewed, the second

Greg Schwartz from Whispers of Wickedness reviews Apex Digest #9, saying this of my story:

The last story of the magazine is Sonorous by Paul Abbamondi. It’s written in second person point of view, present tense, which is a very hard way to make a story work, but the writer pulls it off in this one. Sonorous is a short (one-page) tale, very reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Langoliers. In spite of the brevity, the story manages to build up a sense of suspense and impending dread which draws the reader in. Flash fiction is often hard to do, but Abbamondi seems to have a good grasp of it.

The rest of the review can be found here.

Cool.

Progress notes for April 30, 2007

Strange. I wrote the same exact amount of words today as I did yesterday. Oh well. If it works, it works.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 618
Total Words: 1,967
Pages: 5
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: End of scene where we stick a kitty in a fridge
Stimulants: Arizona green tea with ginseng
Songs played loudly: "Come Close" by Saosin
Exercise: 6,471 steps at the park
Mail: A magazine I'd submitted to folded today before even seeing its first issue. Not a rejection, not a sale. Meh. More annoying than anything else.
Darling du Jour: "Now, Em," Martin said, getting right in her face, his breath low and hot, "I know I used to climb in there a lot, but that was just me being stupid. I always figured you kept the best food way in the back."
Other writing-related work: Couple notes taken on another story
The Internet is full of Things: Sumo wrestlers in a competition to make babies cry. Seriously, not making it up.

Progress notes for April 29, 2007

I've been reading Michelle Sagara's Cast in Shadow, and you know what, it's fun and the sort of reading experience I really enjoy. Fast-paced, amusing dialogue, and compelling characters. Aspects that I'm coming to rather demand in a book than expect more times than not. There's a lot of interesting details about the different classes of folk: Leontines, Hawks, Wolves, Dragons, and so forth. At first, I thought it was going to be very cut-and-dry, but it turned out to be much different.

Sagara moves the plot along very fast--sometimes too fast as I want to know more history and why things are happening--and I can't help but plow through the book. Funny, I had trouble just getting through Brasyl by Ian McDonald and yet here I can read easily. I do have a problem with her holding back information about Severn from the reader for almost half the novel, but meh, it's all right. I'm enjoying the worldbuilding and caste system so much that it's forgiveable. Aren't I just the nicest?

Some progress today, in which main character Emily gets the tingles to tangle with teleportation.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 618
Total Words: 1,349
Pages: 3
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: End of scene
Stimulants: Coffee is my friend
Songs played loudly: "Grand Theft Autumn" by Fall Out Boy
Mail: Found out that a short story of mine, "Ash Fish," had been accepted to a benefit anthology called SALT. Also, received contracts for "Birds, Gods, and the Naming of Things" for the Strange Stories of Sand and Sea anthology. Other than that, nomail. Tis Sunday!
Darling du Jour: "I have an idea." Emily stood, scratched her cat thanks under his chin, and hurried over to her computer. "Thanksgiving might come early this year."
Other writing-related work: Nopers
The Internet is full of Things: I like this blog a lot. Old photos galore!

Progress notes for April 28, 2007

Not much done today. Had a busy day with my sister.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 103
Total Words: 731
Pages: One and a half
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Pillows are calling my name and they are being quite nice about it. Must obey pillows.
Stimulants: Coffee and yummy dessert!
Songs played loudly: "8 A.M." by The Summer Obsession
Mail: Bill, and something relating to a story sale, but I'm not clear about it yet. Stay tuned.
Darling du Jour: Night in West County was made up of five parts: strolling, supper, sitting, singing, and sleeping.
Other writing-related work: Nada
The Internet is full of Things: Just nothing too interesting today. Well, if you have anything, please, do share.

Progress notes for April 27, 2007

Well, I finished a short story last night, which, of course, means I'm moving right on to the next one. Figured this would be a good time for some progress notes. So far, it's a cat story but I'm looking to change that. Maybe into a futuristic kidnapping story with a cat on the side. Yeah, I like that. That sounds better.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 651
Total Words: 651
Pages: One and a half
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: To watch a mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmovie
Stimulants: Two cups of coffee with hazelnut creamer
Songs played loudly: "Your Mistake" by Sister Hazel
Mail: Nomail
Darling du Jour: A little old lady by the little old name of Miss Agatha White had managed to reprogram her refrigerator’s mainframe with a pair of safety scissors and some double-sided tape, changing it from being an anti-junk machine to anti-health (with extreme prejudice toward lettuce).
Other writing-related work: Read some more of a friend's novel
The Internet is full of Things: I used to watch this show ALL the time when I was younger. Specifically, before heading out to catch the school bus in the morning. Watching it now, well...it kind of sucks. Ah, nostalgia. Such a weird thing.

Mouse dæmon

Aw, mouse! She completes me. Anyways, The Golden Compass comes out in December and, well, I'm not that excited. Seems like ever since LOTR left theaters, the movie industry has been trying to fill some fantasy void come December every year. 2006 was home to crap-filled Eragon, and I think before that was The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Meh. At least this one will have dæmons. Not daemons. Dæmons.

A major discovery!

Scientists have discovered an Earth-like planet just outside our solar system that could sustain human life.



It's name? Gliese 581 C.

Gliese 581 C, for science's sake. As a writer, I could come up with a much better name than that crap in just a few minutes. Let's see, let's see...

Tregarran
Voltim'iri
Edgsia
Xenott
Olemdors

Seriously, I could do this all day. Feel free to share your planet names though because even if they are something like Planet Cool or Zebe, it'll be a thousand times better than Gliese 581 C. Ugh. Gliese 581 C!!!

OOTP international trailer

Here's the new international trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix:



Looks yummy to me. I have to say that Umbridge looks pretty much like how I'd imagined her. Except JK often described her as very froglike, and because of that I pictured her skin mottled and very pale, almost sickishly green. Oh wells. Can't win 'em all. I think I spied one of my favorite scenes from the book in the trailer already. Awesome. Hint: think Fred and George and their shining moment.

King responds to violence

Stephen King responds to the idea of violent media equaling violent acts. Interesting, and I found myself agreeing with a lot of the things he said. I'm not going to go into any more than that, as I'm really not prepared to discuss the VT Massacre, but just thought to share.

Three things!

Well, here's some good news. "The Weatherbugs of Mr. Grady," a truly strange short story I wrote last July, just sold to Grimoire. I believe it's slated for the debut issue in August 2007. Cool, cool.

I received Gradisil by Adam Roberts in the mail the other day. Looks interesting. Cover shows spaceships, some sort of futuristic satellite, and explosions. Well, I'm sold.

And lastly this video, featuring Will Ferrel and a less-than-respectful landlord, is pretty funny. Well, funny enough that I've watched it more than once. That means it's good enough to share.



EDIT: Scratch that. Seems the video is being removed from YouTube due to copyright issues.

(Not a) dreadful review!

Check out my review for Cherie Priest's Dreadful Skin here!



From the FBS Quick Take:
Lycanthropes, burning ships, and a less-than-holy traveling revivalist camp—Dreadful Skin is a throwback to the stories of old, pulpy and brisk; Cherie Priest has created another strong entry for the field of Southern horror.

In other items of interest, I should have some good news to post about soon. And no, I'm not pregnant.

Secret project revealed!

Awhile back, Sandra McDonald e-mailed me to ask if I might be interested in doing some comics to go along with The Outback Stars, her debut novel from Tor that just officially came out today. I quickly got to work, and we've been going back and forth with different ideas and sketches and whathaveyou. Well, now y'all can see some of the stuff I've come up with, aptly titled the Outback Guide. It's been a lot of fun, and Sandra's writing made it quite easy to pluck out strip ideas. Plus, you know, any excuse to draw spaceships is fine by me.



There'll be a total of twelve comics, three for each of the first four chapters of the book. To see the rest of the comics for Chapter One, go here. You can also see some other fun stuff on the Outback Stars web site, such as fanfic and personal diary entries from the characters. So stay tuned to the site for more content. And, duh, order her book at Amazon.

"Sonorous" reviewed

Michele Lee reviews Apex #9, and writes this of my story:

The Parting Shot for Apex Digest #9 is Sonorous by Paul Abbmondi. I have to say it’s the first time I’ve been satisfied with a published piece that I’ve read in second person. I instantly thought of Gabriel’s horn, only scifi, reproduced like a clone of an artifact. The story didn’t entirely lean that way, but I enjoyed the lovely imagery that surfaces in the tale.

Despite my last name being spelled incorrectly, I'll take it. Don't worry world, I'm Italian. I'm used to this sort of thing.

Death: Kurt Vonnegut

I was pretty bummed out to learn last night that Kurt Vonnegut died. Both Breakfast of Champions and "Harrison Bergeron" are pieces of his work that I have fond memories of and have reread over the years. The man could twist satire and dark comedic staples into these magnificiently formed worlds where nothing was as simple as it seemed. The bleakness was everywhere, especially in his own voice, that style he personified to a point in each and every thing he wrote. Looking back now, I can see his influence on me. He shall be missed.

So it goes.

Vacation

Blogging is on hold while I take a vacation. In the meantime, check out this video of the bestest animals ever. See? BFFs aren't just a thing for us stinky humans.

Not fooled

You know, I was planning on doing a fun prank for April Fool's Day. This weekend has just been kicking my ass with busy, busy, busy, and busy. Oh well. Maybe next year?

Hope for us all

Hey! You! Yeah, you! Do you feel ostracized by society because you're 7-foot-9-inches tall and extract plastic from the stomachs of dolphins as if you were merely fishing out a pair of boxers from your dresser? Huh? Well, do you? Good news, my friend, you can be loved.



Bao Xishun, last seen in the news for saving two dolphins after medical instruments failed, married Xia Shujjian, a woman about half his age yet--unfortunately--not half his size. She clocks in at 5-foot-6-inches. Congratulations to the both of 'em. May they find a blissful median together.

Get it? Huh? Get it?

Ah, forget you all. On the side, I slowed down as a squirrel bounded across the road the other day. Ladies, can you say mawwiage?