Friday, December 21, 2012

Sushi Writing With Crowd Editing 2012


     This weeks Friday December Project Release is Sushi Writing With Crowd Editing 2012. This will be my first collection. It contain 8 stories I released this year, everything from short stories to vignettes to a TV pilot script. I hope you like these stories all in one easy to read place at the low low price of $1.00 to download.



     As I've been doing all month with my Dec. releases I also would like to highlight someone elses work that I like and wish to point you in the direction of.
     I didn't get into Dork Tower until if I remember right midway through last year. It's one of those sites that's been in my bookmark links for a long time having first heard about it I think on Wil Wheaton's blog.
     I stayed away from it for a long time I think because of people telling me it was really good because its all inside about gaming and since I'm not a huge gamer, in any way, though from time to time I get all cult like with sports videos games, I had stayed away from reading. I'm sorry I did that because Dork Tower is one of my favorite comics online or off and you don't have to be a huge gamer to enjoy it.
     And as I always like to remind people, check out their merchandise store. Buy something cool for yourself or a friend.



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Friday, December 14, 2012

Tin Universe #4: Dhaka 2.0 and Tin Universe #5: School For The Blind 2.0


     Todays blog post has me re-releasing two projects from the past to my Smashwords store with new covers. The new covers they now have were always meant to with them but when first released LuLu rejected them. Hope you enjoy. These two stories were originally released as cut chapter promotional items for my second book The Past Forward; so if you enjoy them then check out the book, it's a good jumping on point for the Tin Universe if you don't wish to go back and read all the past releases. Plus with The Past Forward you get a whole book for only $1.00, I'd say that's a pretty good deal.
     Also remember you can gift stuff to others when shopping at Smashwords.

$0.99usd
12/14/2012

and

$0.99usd
12/14/2012

     I'd also like to use this months blogger entries to point you towards some other talents where you can pick up maybe a gift for yourself or a friend from.

     This entry will direct you to Moon Frieght 3 which just recently finished its run and was one of my favorite webcomics for a long time. This series by Luke Foster gets better and better as it goes. Don't forget to check out the sites store also for a chance to buy paper collections of the series. Moon Frieght 3 reminds me a lot of Red Dwarf; so if you like that classic Sci-Fi series check this webcomic out.

     And a little bit of rant to end things.
     The stupid people who tell me, "But what if the world does end, what then?" when Mayan or any other end of the world bullshit comes up are just as stupid as the ones who ask me, "But what if your mom had aborted you, how would you feel then?" when discussing choice rights.


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Friday, December 7, 2012

Tin Universe #3 Landmarked To Death 2.0

     
     First off I hope everyone has a good December and I hope you get through the bullshit of this holiday season without making yourself feel like crap for whatever reason, because we all know that's what its all about, I know it usually effects me in those sort of ways.
     Also I’m usually sick this time of year which always sucked when I was a kid with my birthday also being on the 22nd.
     But onto some publishing news and talk.

Backup Story: Knight Book
$0.99USD
     This re-release of Tin Universe #3 comes with a new cover and backup story. It's two standalone stories but if you want to read where Landmarked To Death leads then check out the  Bloodwaste Books site and read the four Chaos Poetry collections there with each containing part of a four part story. They are all for sale under the You Pick The Price method.
     If you want to start at the beginning of the Tin Universe, which is where the Knight Book story takes place, stop by the Tin Universe site here.
     Also remember with Smashwords you can gift ebooks to other people; so check out my whole store to see if you would be interested in sending something to someone.

     Before I get into the other things I will be releasing this month I think I'm going to promote other peoples stuff you might want to check out and maybe buy something for yourself or a gift for someone else. I think I'll also do this with every December post I do.
     Check out the t-shirt stores of Brenda Kirk. You will find some really cool stuff there.
I really want this shirt myself. Anyone want to buy me a Christmas gift? :)
I have this shirt and if you follow when I post photo blogs it might seem like I have this shirt on all the time since it's one of my favorite t-shirts.
     
     Now back to me. Every Friday this month I will be releasing something and that list will include two more Tin Universe re-releases with new covers as well as two year end collections.
Tin Universe 4: Dhaka 2.0
$0.99USD
12/14/2012

Tin Universe 5: School For The Blind 2.0
$0.99USD
12/14/2012

Sushi Writing With Crowd Editing 2012
$1.00USD
12/21/2012
{A collection of all of my one-shot short stories and vignettes from the year. There’s even a TV pilot script in there.}

Under The Training Book 2012
You Pick The Price!
12/28/2012
{A collection of my writing from my Blogger, Live Journal, and Twitter accounts}

     And to end with a bit of a rant I guess Lena Dunham thinks it’s weird for people to write for money? Doesn't this go back a little to the whole "artists shouldn't expect to get money for their work" bullshit that's been flying for a few years? It lives within piracy, it lives within the BS of working for exposure, and it lives within the anger people show when artists have the nerve to expect payment and protection of their work.
     When it comes down to it if the only reason you want to write is to get paid, fine. If the only reason you write is for people to read it, fine. Most artists are in the middle and I'm ranting probably off topic but a Architect is a artist, ask them to work for free or the love of the craft. A clothing designer is a artist, ask them to work for free, or the chance for someone to wear their shirts. The fucking people who design the caps on sodas are artists and they sure as fuck ant working for free. An artist thinking money first, second, or last isn't a bad thing.

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Saturday, November 24, 2012

11/23/2012 In The Amazon The Evil Of The Red Herring



     Just a quick thought that I expressed on Facebook earlier this week to start things off and see if I have anything more in length to say about the subject.
I find it interesting that so many of the writers and editors, some who I respect a great deal, think Amazon is the core of evil in publishing but don't peep a word when it comes to big publishers combining or becoming part of a large conglomeration. Seems a little weak to me.
     The whole Amazon is going to destroy publishing thing has been pissing me since it started. First as I’ve said many times if the big publishers or big chain bookstores could think outside their own footsteps they would have created an Amazon before Amazon. Any situation they may be in is a product of their own shortsightedness.
     And it’s kind of bullshit for people to go after Amazon in defense of the weak, small, helpless little big publishers. Are you really saying I should feel sorry for them, really? That’s like saying I should feel sorry for the government when the fires that been burning for years with them not caring a bit finally reach their toes.
     Anyways, as I’ve also said before if Amazon is on a course to break the system, then I say let it break because it’s a system with a very narrow line of sight. Break, crumble, all fall down, then hopefully be rebuilt better by the people. And if the people once again allow it to be rebuilt as the same sort of stagnant pile of horseshit then it will be our own fault there.

     Another thought I had on Facebook that I’d like to maybe explore a little further here.
     I like red herrings in stories, and I'm not just talking about mystery story red herrings. I like stories that go in dead end directions at times to keep the reader on their toes thinking or at least play with the reader to keep them sharp.
     Maybe it’s just the writer in me but I lose interest a lot when I can predict the course of things in a story and it leaves a bad taste in my mind after reading something when I knew for a long time what was coming.
     I can enjoy mindless simple stories sometimes but for the most part I believe a writer should duel with the reader, maybe take them to places in thinking they would not have normally gone.

     To update on my NaNoWriMo book.
     Thursday I wrote 6,045 words while watching X-Files all day as a Thanksgiving Day writing sprint. My NaNoWriMo is currently at 66,047 words and marching on. Hope I can at least reach 80,000 before the month is over.
     I took a break on Friday to watch Doctor Who related stuff on the 49th Anniversary and doing more of that today but writing also.

     And I’ll end this short entry with this.
     A friend of mine who is an editor, we were talking about writing and publishing and something got us talking about writers and their little “Ticks” as she called them.
     She said she pictures writers like Alex from Clockwork Orange in a ludovico apparatus.
     I think she was joking?
     I think.
     "You all are droogs."
     I was happy she included me in the "you all" part because she works with some well known writers, that was until she said, "But remember even within droogs there are levels of quality."

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

11/17/2012 Finished The Finish Line But Not Done



     I didn’t write this up last night because I was busy spending a good day and night with the lady I love taking her car in for a recall repair, having breakfast{we don’t eat out that often now}, going to my local comic shop- Famous Faces And Funnies{had several Doctor Who and Saga books in my folder}, visited the Goodwill{found brand new Harry Potter books for the library and a Gimp manual for me}, eating Chinese food, and watching Amazing Spider-Man.
     By the way if you local check out that link to my lcs, they are having a Mini Free Comic Book Day today.
     But late Thursday I did hit the 50,000 word mark on my NaNoWriMo book. I crossed the NaNo finish line but I’m way off from finishing my zero draft. This is the earliest I’ve ever finished NaNo and that’s good because my personal goal this year has been to hit 100,000 words. I probably won’t reach it but it’s a goal worth fighting towards; which is the point of NaNoWriMo I think, it’s about going for something. The going is the thing so to speak.
     But I do want to finish my zero draft in November because in December I’m going to be releasing several year end things.
     I have to re-release three Tin Universe stories because it seems the first time I released them on Smashwords the files were all crazy pants. The good news is all three will have new cover art for each; so that’s a cool thing. I was never much happy with the covers I made for those projects the first time I released them. Everyone knows I’m not a cover photo fan to start with so replacing them with artwork is always a plus to me.

Tin Universe 3: Landmarked To Death 2.0 Backup story KNIGHT BOOK
$0.99USD
12/7/2012

Tin Universe 4: Dhaka 2.0
$0.99USD
12/14/2012

Tin Universe 5: School For The Blind 2.0
$0.99USD
12/14/2012

     I’ll also be releasing two writing collections.

Sushi Writing With Crowd Editing 2012
$1.00USD
12/21/2012
{A collection of all of my one-shot short stories and vignettes from the year. There’s even a pilot TV script in there.}

Under The Training Book 2012
You Pick The Price!
12/28/2012
{A collection of writing from my Blogger, Live Journal, and Twitter accounts}

     I’ve also made a decision while working on my NaNo this month about next year’s releases.
I have several things planned but the monthly releases will stop for now. I had hoped to be able to work on them properly because I had other people lined up to write stories here and there giving everyone plenty of time to work on their individual stories.
     For many different reasons it didn't work out working with other people and I think I need to focus on full size book releases; so starting in January I will start work on Tin Universe #12: Mystery From Bunker Hill and in around six months I hope to present the best thing I've ever written. I will work on my ass off to try and get it there.
     I have other things I want to release next year but Mystery From Bunker Hill will be my main focus. One of the reasons I was releasing so many projects in the past two years was a fear of dying without people getting the chance to see a view of how I see the word, without my stories getting out into the world.
     My health really hasn't improved but I've changed my view a little on getting my writing out into the world. Though I still don’t mind my stuff going out into the world less than prefect so to speak, a little sushi doesn't hurt anyone, what has happen is I've grown to really like the characters I've been writing and I want them to shine as bright as I can shine them with what talent I have.
     And a F.Y.I. reminding to end this. I will be updating Under The Training book every Friday with my thoughts on publishing and book topics and issues, updates on project releases, and photo blogs because this is where everyone expects me to post them, tried doing a separate photo blog blogger but it didn't work.
     F.Y.I. Reminder 2, every Saturday, if you are into political ranting, check out my Live Journal. I’ll be posting a update there tonight.

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Friday, November 9, 2012

NaNoWriMo 11/9/2012 Update

     
     Not going to reach my goal for today tonight because my stomach is hurting way too much for leaning over a laptop anymore than I've already done today. Was also planning to write a publishing related blog entry tonight but don't really have it in me right now, but that will be the plan from now on for Fridays to be blog entries on writing, publishing, or related topics.
     I'll also continue to put my photoblog entries here just because that's where everyone is use to coming to find them, post news releases on projects, and reviews when I find the time to do them{which isn't often.} And if politics are something you like discussing, check out my Saturday political writing on my Live Journal. Link found on the right by scrolling down a little.
     To update things on how my NaNoWriMo is going. This has been the most enjoyable year I've ever had taking part in my November Holiday. My second favorite holiday overall just below Halloween.
     This year I've averaged Per Day 4,262 words. That's the best I've ever done and I'm going to end up hitting 50,000 way ahead of any point I've hit it in the past. I've always finished a little early but never this early. I went in this year wanting to hit 100,000, you know because all the cool kids have to hit at least 100,000 for all of their books or its not really a book, and that's realistically possible now and I was being a bit sarcastic there too.
     Today I've written 3,350 and me being disappointed in that number shows how well I've been charging ahead so far this month on this story and how much fun I've had torturing these characters.
     My total Words Written is 38,361. Good but I would have really liked to have hit 40,000 tonight but I'm writing this laying in the floor and that's fine for a quick blog entry, not so good for writing a book.
     I have Remaining 11,639 words. Still seems like so much but that's a tired mind saying that.
     Target NaNoWriMo Word Count 50,000 but as I said my Personal Word Count Target is 100,000 words. I think my sanity can hold out but there might not be anyone alive by the end of the month. That is any characters still living.
Now to bed to watch some TV with the lady I love.


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Sunday, November 4, 2012

NaNoWriMo 11/4/2012


     Only wrote 3,202 words today. Wanted to hit 5000 but still not feeling that good. My total NaNoWriMo sits at 15,099 words. I have a goal this year were I really want to hit 100,000 words. The most I've written in a month is 60+ and my longest published work is 49,430. Speaking of which, go to link and, buy things, then I can buy teeth. That's called begging. I ant too proud.
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Friday, November 2, 2012

11/2/2012 MY LOCAL BOOKSTORE DIDN’T KICK DOWN MY DOOR AND TAKE MY BOOKS AWAY



     Just read an article about someone having their Kindle wiped and their account canceled randomly by Amazon and not being able to talk to Amazon about the issue because they don’t discuss these things besides a vague statement of why they did what they did. The crazy thing is this goes on all the time and is just one example of what you have to accept in being an ereader user with one of the bigger companies.
     These types of situations are holding back digital publishing as a whole. And this is one of the reasons I only read ebooks on my computer or on Mar’s nook. I’m not buying one until the ereader manufactures back off this stance were we don’t really own the things we buy and they can delete at well. I know there are lesser known ereaders that are better in this regard but again, you are buying a lesser known piece of technology and that can always be a risky choice to make.
     But why do we accept this sort of thing? Part of it is because we care more about the status of owning a name brand device more than the quality and user friendliness of said device. That type of thing is good enough for people who are ready to toss around good money for bad tech, but for the rest of us it just puts you in a bad position, leaves you buying something you know is flawed and purposely so or you can choose something that maybe total crap with not much course for troubleshooting when issues come up.
     These examples as well as with a lot of others are what comes into the conversation whenever I talk to people about buying and reading more ebooks. As a publisher of ebook projects it’s really frustrating to see this stuff day in and day out. In a lot of ways this type of thing frustrates me more than piracy. The main things that get up my ass about piracy are that most people just won’t admit that it’s stealing.
      What companies like Amazon are doing I think hurts the epublishing industry just as much a what pirates do because it shines negative lights on the platform overall. It pushes away people who might be thinking about making ereaders part of their reading experiences.
     Whenever I release a new project people always ask me what format, what devices can they read the materials on; which is the main reason, besides ease of publishing, that I moved from LuLu to Smashwords. Smashwords allows me and my readers so many more ways to find and read my work. They can read it on a computer or an ereader. I also enjoy the fact that when someone downloads something from Smashwords to their device they don’t have to worry about it being deleted later for some reason.
     It might be really stupid, Hell it is really stupid but I don’t give a shit if my work is ever sold in any Nook or Kindle or Apple store until they start treating their customers with a little respect. As a publisher and a writer that disrespect of the reader is also a disrespect of me and doing so is saying fuck you to the reader and my message back is fuck you Amazon.
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Thursday, November 1, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day One

Salem keeps jumping in my lap trying to keep me from reaching my personal goal of 5000 words for the first day of NaNoWriMo

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Photoblog Savannah 10/26-10/28


     I love our adventure time travels. Mar is the captain of our journeys while I'm the co-pi....well, not really, I'm the navi....well, not really. I'm the funny looking guy people whisper, "How'd he get with that?" as we walk around places. But that's  good with me.
     Every time we go on a trip I write a lot while there. A day trip maybe only some poems or a vignette or two. With more than a day I can knock out a very very very very rough first draft of a short story or novella. The stories don't always have anything to do with the places we go but visiting these places inspires me greatly. On this trip I wrote a rough of a novella that I hope to revisit soon. I like a lot of the things that came out into that story.
     But enough about my delusions of grandeur, here's my photoblog entry for the trip. As always it is mainly photos with a few comments about each image. I pick the images I choose to use for the most part by random choosing. I returned from this trip having taken 2.73gb of photos.

    That's a lot of bad photography.

This first photo is the rest stop we parked at just as we entered Georgia. It was really nice. If heading up there from Florida you should check it out.

I mentioned this on Twitter but I broke one of my fang teeth trying to eat a beef jerky from the nice rest stop's vending machines. It was my fault, I know my teeth are too fucked up to try and eat something that hard. I took care of it though with 4 pills of truck stop healthcare. America.

Fort Frederica National Monument. A really nice place to visit.

Took a moment while walking around the grounds for a writing break. I tell Mar all the time that I'll go anywhere with her because she always chooses interesting places to visit, all I need is chances to write during the trip.

Inside the fort's Visitor Center.

One of the few remaining structures from the Fort is the King's Magazine.

If you love taking pictures of scenery you could spend all day walking around these grounds. We were there a good hour plus and had one of our packed lunches afterwards sitting on a bench outside the Visitor Center.

Our hotel, which Mar found a good deal on Groupon for, and the kickstarter for the trip, had decorated in Halloween fun. Loved it.

People have always told me if I made it to Georgia I need to check out some BBQ there. Wiley's BBQ was one of the highest rated places and for good reason. We loved eating there.

There was a little wait for the food but it was well worth it. It's a small place and very busy. Mar at the point of this picture was ready to eat her phone. The bad thing about any kind of wait in a BBQ joint is the great smells that rip you up while waiting.

If you go to Savannah you have to check out the Riverfront area.

Mar took this picture of me looking at a purple heart monument.

This was a surprise for us to find. I don't think either of us read anything about this ship being there.

Heading down the old iron railed steps was a good thing. The old cobbled streets just added to the atmosphere of the place. I really feel more at home in a place that looks like it was built before I was born.

Our second meal while in Savannah was at the Olympia Cafe. Mar doesn't really try different foods but they had burgers so she said we could stop there and she got a burger while I ate a Lamb Gyro sandwich.

The thing I was looking forward to the most on this trip was visiting the Gordon Low House. We weren't  allowed to take photos in the house quarters but it was still really cool to go there.

I took this photo in the Gordon Low House gardens. I took it thinking that my friend Tankgirl probably would have taken a really nice photo of the rose.

They were having a family day at the SCAD Museum Of Art and you could get in for free. It was really cool. I say cool a lot. Fuck you, it's cool to say cool. I grew up in the 80's, don't blame me. This picture was near the exit from the back area of the Museum.

At the Savannah History Museum. I love me a good diorama and this one was awesome.

The Forrest Gump bench.

Mar was feeling this touch exhibit when my mouth went off, "Stroking that beaver pelt are we?"

They had a good Juliette Gordon Low slash Girl Scout exhibit at the History Museum.

This sign was in a ton of gift shops and stores. If I'm not mistaken its a old New Orleans police sign so I don't know why they have it so much in Savannah?

Spotted this painted on the side of a house while looking for a local comic book store I had heard about.

This huge ass causeway bridge tried to get up in Mar's face but she kicked its ass. While leaving on Sunday she saw it in the distance and flipped it off. Reason one million to why I love her.

A very rare sight was spotted during a late snack run down the street from our hotel.

Fort Pulaski. There isn't a photo I could take that would do this place justice. The fort alone is well worth the visit but there are so many trails and picnic areas you could spend a whole day there easy.

We took the Park Ranger tour which was really cool. Then you can walk around all on your own so we did both. I recommend doing both since the tour is well worth it for the information you get from the Ranger and it also doesn't take you everywhere within the fort.

Looking out on top of the fort from some of the Civil War battle damage makes the mind go in so many directions. It's a beautiful view but you still have to think about the fear those soldiers must have had in those moments.

Another view on top of the fort.

The fort's magazine.

I loved the angles of the corridor in this pic. You could film a Classic Doctor Who story in that corridor alone.

Tybee Island Light Station.

Look at that gut. I deserve to live under the stairs. The boy who lived to eat everything, that's who I am.

The Tybee Island Museum is right across the street from the lighthouse station and you pay one price for both places.

You will find all kinds of interesting things in the museum. From this divers outfit..

to Nazi stuff... 

to a Girl Scout area.

I love this picture. The angle, the sky, the location, the shadows, and Mar's butt.

I picked up three patches to add for my collection on this trip. One from each fort and one from the Gordon Low House.

And as is our tradition we stopped at a KFC on the way back home from a long trip. This is something we do on trip since we don't eat out that much on trips and specifically at fast food places. Mar just had to get a picture with the statue they had inside. I don't know if she was really this excited to have this picture taken or just tired from the trip. I say both.

Here's some links you might want to check out:


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