Welcome to Biting-Edge, a blog shared by authors and vampire experts, Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein. We’ll cover urban fantasy, vampires, pop culture, and all things Joss Whedon. Unlike other fantasy blogs, we don’t insist on body cavity searches (unless you ask politely). Snarkiness is most welcome...though we won't promise not to bite back!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Books, books and more books
Hi friends-- back from RT...sleep deprived but in one piece. Mario is disappointed.
Lots of book tidbits today. This one in particular caught my eye:
It's always amazing to me when a treasure shows up in someone's attic or basement. Why can't it happen to me? I have an attic and a basement.
Lots of book tidbits today. This one in particular caught my eye:
It's always amazing to me when a treasure shows up in someone's attic or basement. Why can't it happen to me? I have an attic and a basement.
# # # #
And speaking of "found" items:
FOUND: Gene Roddenberry's original 1964 pitch for Star Trek!
From: blastr
A pop culture blog called Between the Pages has a link up to an online copy of Roddenberry's initial outline for the series, dated March 11, 1964. The show itself premiered on Sept. 8, 1966, and in the intervening two years, a whole lot changed. For instance:
♦ Roddenberry's original captain was not James Kirk or Christopher Pike, but Robert April;
♦ The ship was first called the U.S.S. Yorktown;
♦ The navigator was not a young Russian hotshot named Pavel Chekov, but a young South American hotshot named Jose Ortegas;
♦ Spock was the "first lieutenant" and described as having a reddish complexion and, of course, pointed ears, and was probably "half Martian."
Roddenberry's 16-page outline also contains his now-famous description of the show as a sort of sci-fi Wagon Train, and does not mention anything like a transporter beam; the crew would land on planets via small recon vehicles. Early ideas for communicators, universal translators and phaser weapons can also be found within.
Most fascinating, however, are the story ideas that Roddenberry includes—many of which formed the basis for or at least planted the seed for classic episodes like "Charlie X," "Shore Leave," "A Piece of the Action," "The Return of the Archons," "The Savage Curtain," "Mirror, Mirror" and what eventually became the show's first pilot, "The Cage." Some of his dicier ideas—like a planet where slavery is the norm, except that whites are the slaves—never made it to the show at all (probably just as well).
So if you thought you knew everything about Star Trek, this document might hold some surprises for you. Either way, it's an essential read—after all, these 16 pages are where a legendary science fiction franchise began!
FOUND: Gene Roddenberry's original 1964 pitch for Star Trek!
From: blastr
A pop culture blog called Between the Pages has a link up to an online copy of Roddenberry's initial outline for the series, dated March 11, 1964. The show itself premiered on Sept. 8, 1966, and in the intervening two years, a whole lot changed. For instance:
♦ Roddenberry's original captain was not James Kirk or Christopher Pike, but Robert April;
♦ The ship was first called the U.S.S. Yorktown;
♦ The navigator was not a young Russian hotshot named Pavel Chekov, but a young South American hotshot named Jose Ortegas;
♦ Spock was the "first lieutenant" and described as having a reddish complexion and, of course, pointed ears, and was probably "half Martian."
Roddenberry's 16-page outline also contains his now-famous description of the show as a sort of sci-fi Wagon Train, and does not mention anything like a transporter beam; the crew would land on planets via small recon vehicles. Early ideas for communicators, universal translators and phaser weapons can also be found within.
Most fascinating, however, are the story ideas that Roddenberry includes—many of which formed the basis for or at least planted the seed for classic episodes like "Charlie X," "Shore Leave," "A Piece of the Action," "The Return of the Archons," "The Savage Curtain," "Mirror, Mirror" and what eventually became the show's first pilot, "The Cage." Some of his dicier ideas—like a planet where slavery is the norm, except that whites are the slaves—never made it to the show at all (probably just as well).
So if you thought you knew everything about Star Trek, this document might hold some surprises for you. Either way, it's an essential read—after all, these 16 pages are where a legendary science fiction franchise began!
# # # #
From Shelf Awareness and the New York Times :
The estate of James Jones has made an agreement with Open Road Integrated Media to issue 10 titles by the author in e-book form, including an edition of the classic From Here to Eternity that restores "explicit mentions of gay sex and a number of four-letter words" that were deleted by his publisher, Scribner, when the book was originally published in 1951, according to the New York Times. James had fought the censorship, arguing to his editor that "the things we change in this book for proprietary's sake will in five years, or ten years, come in someone else's book anyway."
It only took fifty years.
The estate of James Jones has made an agreement with Open Road Integrated Media to issue 10 titles by the author in e-book form, including an edition of the classic From Here to Eternity that restores "explicit mentions of gay sex and a number of four-letter words" that were deleted by his publisher, Scribner, when the book was originally published in 1951, according to the New York Times. James had fought the censorship, arguing to his editor that "the things we change in this book for proprietary's sake will in five years, or ten years, come in someone else's book anyway."
It only took fifty years.
# # # #
Okay, this goes out to my author friends who have children. How perfect is this? A book you can sleep in! From Flavorwire :
# # # #
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2
Love this poster. It's sad and exciting all at the same time to think we've come to the end of the journey. Remember the Harry from The Sorcerer's Stone?
Wow!
And you'll see right away why I like this one so much:
Do you recognize the little character? It's Mario...yes, a Mario shelf!!!!
Readers young and old are invited to the Library's 12th Annual Colorado Author Open House on Sunday, April 17, 2011. 1 - 3 pm. Books will be available for purchase.
1000 Englewood Parkway
First Floor • Englewood Civic Center
Englewood, CO 80110
303-762-2560
A reminder about Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers May event including a chance to get a critique by me on two pages of your own writing.
Saturday, May 21 8:00a to 4:00p
at Renaissance Hotel, Denver, CO
Price: $70 early registration; $85 after April; $95 at the door
Phone: (970) 497-6452
Age Suitability: None Specified
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is sponsoring a one-day workshop featuring Kirt Hickman, author of Revising Fiction: Making Sense of the Madness. The workshop will be held at the Renaissance Hotel on May 21st. Colorado authors Carol Berg, Jeanne Stein and Betsy Dornbusch will be on-hand to answer writing-related questions or critique the first two pages of your manuscript. For more information please see Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ website at rmfw.org or contact Vicki Law at (970) 497-6452.
More details here
On the book front-got an email from pal Toni Kelner who said in the next issue of RT Book Review Magazine Hexed was reviewed. Not only got 4 1/2 stars but was a top pick!!! Anthologies don't often get that nod so I'm thrilled.
And a gentle reminder that Crossroads is available for preorder from Amazon your favorite Indie , and/or Barnes and Noble
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2
Love this poster. It's sad and exciting all at the same time to think we've come to the end of the journey. Remember the Harry from The Sorcerer's Stone?
Wow!
# # # #
One more bit of crazy before I get to some personal news. Here are 20 Insanely Creative Bookshelves from Buzzfeed
And you'll see right away why I like this one so much:
Do you recognize the little character? It's Mario...yes, a Mario shelf!!!!
# # # #
Now for some BSP--
First off, Sunday is the Englewood Library's Meet the Faces Behind the Books gig. Over 60 fiction, nonfiction, YA, Children's authors and illustrators will be in attendance. Including moi.
Here are the details:
Readers young and old are invited to the Library's 12th Annual Colorado Author Open House on Sunday, April 17, 2011. 1 - 3 pm. Books will be available for purchase.
1000 Englewood Parkway
First Floor • Englewood Civic Center
Englewood, CO 80110
303-762-2560
A reminder about Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers May event including a chance to get a critique by me on two pages of your own writing.
Saturday, May 21 8:00a to 4:00p
at Renaissance Hotel, Denver, CO
Price: $70 early registration; $85 after April; $95 at the door
Phone: (970) 497-6452
Age Suitability: None Specified
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is sponsoring a one-day workshop featuring Kirt Hickman, author of Revising Fiction: Making Sense of the Madness. The workshop will be held at the Renaissance Hotel on May 21st. Colorado authors Carol Berg, Jeanne Stein and Betsy Dornbusch will be on-hand to answer writing-related questions or critique the first two pages of your manuscript. For more information please see Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ website at rmfw.org or contact Vicki Law at (970) 497-6452.
More details here
On the book front-got an email from pal Toni Kelner who said in the next issue of RT Book Review Magazine Hexed was reviewed. Not only got 4 1/2 stars but was a top pick!!! Anthologies don't often get that nod so I'm thrilled.
And a gentle reminder that Crossroads is available for preorder from Amazon your favorite Indie , and/or Barnes and Noble
Labels: blastr, Buzzfeed, Crossroads, Flavorwire, HP and the Deathly Hallows, Meet the Faces Behind the Books, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Toni L. P Kelner
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:34 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
If you haven't caught....
Mario's interview with Juliet Blackwell, I suggest you get to it. There is still time to get in on the contest give-away. BTW, when Mario talks about being under a spell, I think he means it. But you didn't hear that from me...
This will be short. Next week I'm off to Crested Butte to participate in their Writers Conference. Since I've never been there, I'm really looking forward to it.
Movies: Dracula Rises Again in Fangland
From Shelf Awareness: John Carpenter will direct Fangland, an updated version of Bram Stoker's Dracula "based on the 2007 novel by former 60 Minutes producer John Marks. It's centered on a New York-based producer who travels to Romania for an interview with a notorious European arms dealer, who turns out to be a modern-day Dracula," Variety reported. Mark Wheaton (Friday the 13th) wrote the screenplay.
In case you've been living in a cave and missed this, Stephanie Meyer's novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is being offered as a free read here until July 5. For the curious who don't want to shell out $ to buy the thing.
And here's MTV's preview of HP and the Deathly Hallows—boy have these kids grown up!!
Okay, that's about it. Told you this would be short. Have you planned your summer vacation yet? Tell me about it.
PS This just in-- pictures from the premiere of True Blood Season Three. Charlaine looks gorgeous!!!
This will be short. Next week I'm off to Crested Butte to participate in their Writers Conference. Since I've never been there, I'm really looking forward to it.
Movies: Dracula Rises Again in FanglandFrom Shelf Awareness: John Carpenter will direct Fangland, an updated version of Bram Stoker's Dracula "based on the 2007 novel by former 60 Minutes producer John Marks. It's centered on a New York-based producer who travels to Romania for an interview with a notorious European arms dealer, who turns out to be a modern-day Dracula," Variety reported. Mark Wheaton (Friday the 13th) wrote the screenplay.
In case you've been living in a cave and missed this, Stephanie Meyer's novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is being offered as a free read here until July 5. For the curious who don't want to shell out $ to buy the thing.
But for a book you really should shell out your money for, Stacia Kane's
Unholy Ghost is available now . This link will take you to a page where you can download the first five chapters for free. Try it. You'll like it.
Unholy Ghost is available now . This link will take you to a page where you can download the first five chapters for free. Try it. You'll like it.
And here's MTV's preview of HP and the Deathly Hallows—boy have these kids grown up!!
Okay, that's about it. Told you this would be short. Have you planned your summer vacation yet? Tell me about it.
PS This just in-- pictures from the premiere of True Blood Season Three. Charlaine looks gorgeous!!!
Labels: Crested Butte Writers Conference, Fangland, HP and the Deathly Hallows, Stacia Kane, Unholy Ghost
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:16 PM 3 comments
