Eight or ten thoughts on sundry topics & miscellaneous doings

• 12/06/11

  One Of Those Days Webcomic

  As I was reading Faith Erin Hicks’ The Adventures of Superhero Girl the other day, she mentioned she had a piece of art features over at her boyfriends’s webcomic, One of Those Days. That got my interest. I like Erin’s work either Superhero Girl or Friends With Boys, and I decided to check it out. I ended up going back to the first comic and spending the next couple of hours going through the entire archive until I finished the entire series. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

  The comic, written and drawn by Tim Larade, features Mallori, a girl who has strange things happen to her. Very strange things. One day it’s raining toasters. The next she’s a cat girl. Another clothes spontaneously explode. The only explanation is Mallori is cursed to live an interesting life. And if you start from the beginning, the story revolves solely around this conceit, but it evolves into a love story between Mallori and Travis of epic proportions.

  I loves this comic. The art continually gets better. It starts with what is almost pencil sketches and becomes full color pages. The style reminds me a bit of the Scott Pilgrim actually. As the comic matures, the story becomes more sophisticated, and things you thought were just neat looking in the beginning turn out to have more of an explanation. The only sad thing about the comic is that the story is over, but as I said, it’s a good tidy story.

  
  

• 11/06/11

  The Agent Hunt Begins

  I’m just over a week into sending for query letters for the agent hunt. It’s later in the year than I had originally had intended to start this but waiting to have the copyediting done was very worth it. I found I had several missing paragraphs in one scene I had completely missed. I would’ve have been embarrassed if I had actually sent it in like that. Read More »

  
  

• 11/01/11

  WFC Wrap Up

  The World Fantasy Convention was a blast. I had a great time. Up until I got sick on Friday. I thought I was just talking too much through the day, but as the day turned into night, I realized I was more than just a rough throat. I went home and the next morning let the convention know I wouldn’t be coming in for the panel I was scheduled for–Here There Be Krakens. I was disappointed because I had managed to touch base with almost everyone on the panel before hand. Read More »

  
  

• 10/23/11

  WFC Is Coming

  Well, it’s the week of the World Fantasy Convention here in San Diego, and I’m working on my last minute preparations. Shadowkind is getting a final polish in case someone asks me to send them something there will be little delay (I’m not being so bold as to actually carry it around. There’s such thing as appearing to be too eager), not to mention its pitches and synopses. Read More »

  
  

• 09/09/11

  Conjecture 2011

  Today’s Conjecture 2011. I would’ve posted what I was going to be on a little sooner, but we had that little issue with the power last night. It caused me to wonder what would’ve happened if the power wasn’t restored in time for the convention? I can easily see all the geeks meeting by flashlight and the like, but I don’t think the hotel would’ve been keen on the plan.

  Here are the panels I’m currently scheduled to be a part of, but who knows where else I’ll end up? The convention is filled with possibilities.

  • Post Apocalyptic Fever, Fri 9/9 2:00 PM
    Participants: Robert Mitchell Evans, Lynn Maudlin, John W. Oliver, J.M. Perkins, Ann Wilkes
    Precis: Why are we so obsessed with post-apocalyptic settings? Why the emphasis on catastrophic endings? Is this just the “disaster movie” trend of the 1970′s ramped up to the ultimate?
  • Care and Feeding of Writers’ Groups, Fri 9/9 5:00 PM
    Participants: Lise Breakey, John W. Oliver, J.M. Perkins, Janet Tait, Greg van Eekhout, Ann Wilkes
    Precis: When you can’t find the right writers’ group for you, you may have to start one. How do you find and screen members, schedule meetings, get copies of the stories to everybody, and organize the critiquing? There are lots of tools available online to help you.
  • How to Edit Yourself, Sat 9/10 12 Noon
    Participants: Lisanne Norman, John W. Oliver, Linda Thomas-Sundstrom, Greg van Eekhout
    Precis: You don’t always have access to a critique group, a beta reader, or an editor. How can you polish your own manuscript without that kind of help? What tools will let you look with fresh eyes at text that you already know by heart, so you can find the flaws?
  • Can RPGs Teach You to Write?, Sat 9/10 7:00 PM
    Participants: Eben Brooks, Matt Kirk, Sterling R Macer, John W. Oliver, Janet Tait
    Precis: You learn about character development, dialogue, and narrative structure. If you’re really into it, you do background research and tactical analysis. Can playing RPGs help you develop as a writer? Books such as Steven Brust’s Dragaera novels, the shared-universe Wild Cards books, and others began as role-playing campaigns.
  
  

• 08/03/11

  The Tom Cruise Effect

  I just got done watching Captain America: The First Avenger, and I was surprised to notice Johann Schmidt, otherwise known as the Red Skull, was played by Hugo Weaving. I was pleased I did not immediately recognize him, for he usually causes me to focus on him as an actor, pulling me out of the movie. There are a number of actors that possess this effect on me. Keanu Reeves is another. Most notably is Tom Cruise.

  When I go to a movie, I was to be immersed in the production. I want to be caught up in the characters, drama, action and story. I do not want to be interrupted, and this happens when I notice the actor beyond the role they are playing. I know this is a tricky thing. Some actors are really good at a particular type, for example Steve Buscemi. When you see him on the silver screen, he often plays a weaselly character who is in over his head. However, when I see Buscemi, his presence as an actor isn’t so big that I go, “What’s Steve doing this time?” Instead I go, “How is this guy going to be in over his head this time?” Read More »

  
  

• 08/01/11

  Adventures In Story Structure

  As I’ve been delving into my new novel project, I’ve been exploring outlining and story structure. Working on Shadowkind taught me a lot, but learning doesn’t end with a single project. I wanted to push the envelope as I explored this new project. So the past few weeks has been spent shoving more information into my head and continuing to formulate my new project.

  One of the first things I looked at is new ways to look at the same tools I had been using. The 7-Point System I blogged out last year is still important to me, but as I read further, I found I was able to build on this system and clarify it in my mind. Read More »

  
  

• 07/30/11

  It’s a Rough Town: Stumptown In Review

  After my trip to San Diego Comic-Con, Stumptown: The Case of the Girl Who Took Her Shampoo (But Left Her Mini) was the first graphic novel I read. It is the result of Greg Rucka’s writing and Matthew Southworth’s illustrations. All put together by Oni, a company known for putting together some dark and weird stories. I knew as soon as I heard Mr. Rucka speak at the convention I had to check out his work, and that fact that Stumptown had been nominated for an Eisner Award cinched it as a choice.

  First off, I loved the story. Dex Parios is a private investigator who has less luck than most. Still, she is not a sullen character. She shows her family and friends a lot of affection and doesn’t hesitate to tackle the problems in front of her. She is a likable, real character that I plan to continue reading more about. And the story she’s involved with is both complicated and grounded in the real. It’s a story about people dealing with the worlds they are a part of and how they don’t always accept them for who they are. Read More »

  
  

• 07/27/11

  What I Learned At San Diego Comic-Con 2011?

  When I went to San Diego Comic-Con, one of the goals I set for myself is to learn more about comics and the comic book industry. The last time I collected comics in earnest was back in the late 80′s and early 90′s. Rob Liefield and Todd McFarland were big. Image was born. Storm lost and regained her powers. And DC Comics had their first Crisis. It was glorious time, but then I went off to college and cut myself off from comics in an effort to save money.

  Since then, I’ve kept my distance from comics. If I get going, I become obsessive-compulsive about collecting, and with crossover summers, it can be painful to the pocketbook. Still, I haven’t lost my love for the stories and the illustrated pages. I haven’t lost the question lurking in the back of my mind, “Could I do that?” Read More »

  
  

• 07/25/11

  San Diego Comic-Con In Review

  For the past five days, I’ve been living in a comic & media mecca at San Diego Comic-Con, and sadly, it has to come to an end. Honestly, if I had to deal with the press of these tangled crowds everyday, I would be crazier than I already am. Still, it’s glorious to bask in the glow of geek.

  When I go to con, I do not go for the media blitz that the movie and television studios put on. I did not see the advance showing of Captain America. I did not see the preview of Alcatraz. I did not go to the Big Bang Theory panel (though I was sorely tempted). For the me, the con serves two purposes. Read More »

  
  

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