Geeks, freaks, cheers and beers.
Mario here:

What I'm reading this week:

Tainted Mountain by Shannon Baker.











Big congratulations and a fly-over of the corporate UFO to Rudy Ch. Garcia for his Honorable Mention in the category of Fantasy/ Science Fiction novel in the 2013 Latino Book Awards for The Closet of Discarded Dreams.











Warning! If you missed this year's Denver ComicCon, you might get your geek credentials revoked. Just sayin'


After a long absence (years!), I did my bit at the Larimer Square Chalk Festival. Three days on my hands and knees, getting so down and dirty that I'm surprised I wasn't arrested.


My fellow scriveners,

• Spinning your writer wheels? 
• Looking for inspiration and support? 
• Is a thirst holding your Muse hostage and you must pay the ransom with booze? 

If you checked any of the above, then sign up for this year's Lighthouse Lit Fest. Bring your trusty writing implement, bend a knee, and learn from the fabulous Lighthouse faculty: Steve Almond, Robin Black, Andre Dubus III, Bill Henderson, Gordy Hoffman, Erika Krouse, Thomas Lux, David Wroblewski, and Jason Heller. Plus me, and I'll be teaching these craft seminars:

Monday, June 10. You Had Me At Hello.
A great story begins with a great intro. The opening lines of your novel should draw the reader into your house of magic. Make them suspend disbelief and follow you deep into the drama. In this workshop we’ll discuss masterful opening lines and analyze the techniques used to create a compelling tone and an engaging voice. Participants are invited to bring the first page of a fiction (or narrative nonfiction) work-in-progress.

Thursday, June 13. The Longest Distance: Putting Your Ideas On The Page.
It’s been said that the longest distance your ideas will ever travel is from your head to your hands. We’re writers and we live to write—or so we say. Then why don’t we write? Why are writers masters of procrastination? In this workshop we’ll discuss self-defeating behaviors, head trash, and those other nasty demons that keep hijacking our motivation. More importantly, we’ll discuss techniques to shorten the distance between your head and your hands.

Monday, June 17. Start With The Diamond: The Premise of a Great Novel.
Your brain is bursting with ideas for a wonderful novel—your big breakthrough. But you’ve been here before. A hundred pages into the manuscript, you peter out. Those great ideas stagnate and your plot turns into a soggy mess. In this workshop we’ll discuss how theme and character motivation drive the story. We’ll drill through your plot to find the true premise—the diamond—that you can build your story around. Participants are invited to bring an outline for a novel that we’ll discuss to find the diamond.

And...Thursday evening, June 13, I'll be on the salon panel, Yes You Can: Writing in a Subjective World. 

Labels: Denver ComicCon, Hulk smash!, Jason Heller, Lit Fest, Rudy Ch. Garcia

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 7:41 PM  4 comments

  Zombies, tweakers, and debauched amphibians Mario here:

What I'm reading:

 



Pulse by Jeremy Robinson.







Get your pencils ready--real or virtual--because I have a boatload of people to pimp.



Saturday night at Lighthouse Writers Workshop I got to meet Peter Stenson, author of the forthcoming Fiend. How's this for the logline? Breaking Bad meets The Walking Dead. That alone is worth fifty gallons of undead blood spatter. Preorder your copy from Amazon.









Next up, more pimpage for an amazing writer, Julie Kazimer. Her sarcastic takes on urban fantasy may seem breezy and light, but they are loaded with cleverness and wit. She puts a keen hard-boiled and pervy spin to her f***ked up fairy tales. Plus, she was banned for being too racy for the blue bloods of Methminster Westminster. Read what the Denver Post says of Kazimer's latest, Froggy Style.







Way back when, my sister passed along an ARC from Jennie Shortridge and I've been hooked on her work ever since. She's coming to Denver within the next two weeks for the signing of her fifth novel,  Love Water Memory, Wednesday April 10 at the LoDo Tattered Cover and then for a workshop on voice at Lighthouse, Saturday, April 13.  Unfortunately, Shortridge's sales may be hurt because she's caught in a turf battle between her publisher Simon & Schuster and Barnes & Noble. So stick it to the Man. Go to the Tattered Cover and buy an armload of copies.




And gargantuan congratulations to Jason Heller and the staff of Clarkesworld Magazine for their Hugo nomination for Best Semiprozine. And to John Picacio, for yet another nomination for Best Professional Artist.

Labels: Hugo Awards, J.A. Kazimer, Jason Heller, Jennie Shortridge, Jeremy Robinson, Kim Jong-un, Peter Stenson

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 7:58 PM  2 comments

  The Big Apple and Me Mario here:

Before we start with our regular programing, let me first pimp Jason Heller (again), who really doesn't need help from the Biting-Edge, as he's already all over the place.



Check out his interview on this podcast from the Arapahoe Library District. Heller dishes on writing Taft 2012, speculative fiction, and his take on Steampunk. Between you and me, the guy is pretty damn insightful and funny.


Though I've been back from NYC for a couple of weeks now, it's taken me that time to settle in and collect my thoughts for this blog. This was my most recent haj to the Big Apple, a benny for serving on the national board of the Mystery Writers of America. The trip was bittersweet as I'm in between contracts, as it were. While there, I reflected on the times I've been to New York and my writing career, the ups and downs, on the fortunes of those in my circle of writers--some of which are international and NYT bestsellers, one snagged a major movie deal--and others, like me, paddle about on the murky waters of uncertainty. I'm not complaining, in fact, I have a lot to be thankful for. Five books from a major NY publishing house, three audio books, was a national bestseller, (plus my books were offered by both the Science Fiction Book Club and the Quality Paperback Club--how cool is that?), a graphic novel, short fiction in several anthologies--I've gotten way past the wanna-be stage. But still...there's much to do with no time to rest on my hairy laurels.

The first time I was in in New York City was during the summer of 1973. My hotel was a block from Times Square and I'd never been to a more filthy and disgusting place, even in the seediest parts of Juarez. I was fresh from the dirt-street barrio of Las Cruces and expected better. This was Times Square, the heart of the greatest of America's cities, and it was rife with hookers and the homeless, grifters, thieves. Porn on an industrial scale. Skin flicks! Stroke shops! The drinking age in NY then was 18, I was 17 but no matter. The titty bar had a two-drink minimum, at five bucks a pop. That made it ten $ to watch a skank dance in front of a smeared mirror above the bar. It wasn't sexy, just creepy even for a hormone-obsessed vato like me. Barkers out front practically grabbing your sleeve and dragging you into the nudie shows. You waded through garbage as you passed block after block of graffiti and broken windows. The city was emblematic of the decline of the American urban center. Trashed out. Impoverished. No way to go but down.

I didn't return for over twenty years. In the meantime, New York didn't give up on itself. I kept up with the news as one mayor after another attacked the decay in campaigns of quality-of-life and gentrification. My family visited one crisp November. Well-versed in popular culture, my sons expected public Mafia hits, bodies floating in the Hudson River, street corners infested with prostitutes. Instead we encountered wave after wave of smiling locals. A Times Square that was clean and family-friendly. A city that truly welcomed us nobodies (and our dollars).

Several years later I finally got published. This time I returned to the Big Apple on business. Publishing business. I visited my agent at his then address in the Garment District. Then the first of many annual pilgrimages to 53rd and Madison Avenue, the home of my publisher, HarperCollins. It was a pinch-me moment, and I tried not to act like a star-struck yokel. My editor, Diana Gill, and I met, chatted, she gave me the nickel tour and I made the effort of thanking everyone for their help. The offices were quiet and decidedly utilitarian. I never once saw the infamous slush pile. Afterwords, Gill and her assistant, Will Winton, took me out for the celebrated fancy-schmancy author-editor lunch. Normally, someone else is footing the bill for grub and drinks, I stuff my gut and pour the free booze down my throat. This time I ordered club soda, and as I felt a little daring, asked for a slice of lime. Our conversation was me tripping down a list of questions I'd written in a spiral notebook. I tried to act cool but was nervous. Gill and Winton have palled around with the millionaire Kahunas in the book business, and this was just me, some lucky scribe from Colorado.

Fast forward to another trip, and a lesson on publishing ranking. Nymphos sold out its first print run within a few weeks after the release and was a national bestseller. This trip I got not only my fancy-schmancy author-editor lunch, but also a special cocktail reception at a tres cool Manhattan watering hole. Later, dinner in Greenwich Village with the head of Rayo, my publishing house. I felt so special, so in the fold.

Jump to another trip. My editor and I had lunch first, then a work meeting in her office. That evening, rather than return to my hotel, I detoured to Times Square and watched Batman Begins. After the movie, I wandered about Times Square, amazed at how awesome it was. Eleven at night and crowded with families. Children. Tourists from all over. A sea of happy faces lit up by the ginormous Times Square signs. Who in the 70s would've believed this was future New York City? Suddenly, from the north, fireworks. Why, it wasn't the Fourth of July? So what, I pretended the festivities were for me.

Jump again. The recession wiped out Rayo and took with it a lot people I knew at HarperCollins. Gill and Hinton survived, fortunately. During this last trip to New York I felt like I was walking through the wakes of my previous visits, and I expected to run into myself. Not sure what that meant but New York is there. I'm still here. Writing.

Labels: HarperCollins, Jason Heller, New York City

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 3:47 PM  8 comments

  I think I can, I think I can Maybe it's because it's January, there are all sorts of blog posts and videos about motivation floating on the Internet. I'm as susceptible (or as neurotic) as the next but these two were pretty good. See if they don't light your fire.



From YouTube





From wimp.com

One more editorial comment. I know the anti-piracy bill(s) may be flawed...but I have one question--when did stealing become acceptable or a right of free speech???? I just don't get it.

Labels: Broadway Book Mall, Carol Berg, Cindi Myers, J.A. Kazimer, Jason Heller, Tattered Cover

  ¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 2:33 PM  5 comments

  A presidential retread and those pesky his and hers Mario here:

Two years ago I had the good fortune of meeting fellow scribe, Jason Heller, who writes for the AV section of the local Onion and was a contributor to Westword. Heller's a long time critic and raconteur of popular music and culture in general and a thoroughly funny guy. So who better to pen the story of former-president William Howard Taft running for the White House (again)? Heller's novel, Taft 2012 is getting excellent notice and his publisher is sparking up the buzz with these super book trailers.






Catch Heller at his book launch at the LoDo Tattered Cover, Tuesday, January 17, 7:30pm.


Another FOBE (friend of Biting-Edge), J.A. Kazimer is sponsoring a Goodreads giveaway for an ARC of her newest book, Curses, A F*cked
Up Fairy Tale. It's a great parody of the paranormal mystery genre, and here's your chance to score a copy.




If anyone has a crystal ball for the publishing industry, it might be Hyperion CEO Ellen Archer. In this posting on Digital Book World she shares her thoughts about the state of the business, the impact of ebooks (expected to be more than half of Hyperion's revenue by 2015), author advances (shrinking), and the importance of social media to your writing career.


Fellow Leagurer Carolyn Crane expounded recently about Some writing/reading things that she thought she'd never do but now does all the time. She discusses how Twitter has forced her to LOL and ROFL. And her beloved Roget's Thesaurus has been displaced by online versions. Like her, my dogeared thesaurus gathers dust next to the recycle box. It's so much easier to google *word* synonym. But progress brought an unexpected treat--the Merriam-Webster online dictionary's videos.

You get to see and hear brainy (and easy-on-the-eyes) librarian types pontificate on topics such as the pronunciation of troublesome words, flat adverbs, and the stinkeye. A favorite video addresses the whole clunky his or her construct. If you've ever had your hand slapped for writing "Everyone must bring their coat" because it's supposedly more grammatically correct to write "Everyone must bring his or her coat" then guess what? Vengeance is yours. Don't let the pinheads bully your use of the indefinite pronoun. And this video tells you why.

Labels: J. A. Kazimer, Jason Heller, Merriam-Webster, Taft 2012

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 3:30 PM  3 comments

  Long times in the literary saddle. Mario here:

Another con bites the dust. Specifically, MileHiCon 43, Denver's nexus for science fiction and fantasy literature since the 60's.


This year I was honored to be the Toastmaster, which gave me the opportunity to meet and introduce the Guests of Honor, from left, GoH Author Vernor Vinge, GoH Editor Gardner Dozior, GoH Author Glen Cook, and GoH Artist Theresa Mather. The lengthy and impressive résumés of each of these GoH's humbled me and my modest accomplishments. Much thanks to Rose Beetem for the invitation.

Besides the usual gang of suspects stalking the bar--among them Betsy Dornbusch, Jeanne Stein, Warren Hammond, Carol Berg, Carrie Vaughn, Bree Ervin, and David Boop, we had the über hipsters, Jason Heller (left, of the forthcoming Taft 2012) and Eytan Kollin (he and his brother Dani co-wrote the award-winning The Unincorporated Man).




At one panel I queried the audience about their thoughts regarding ebooks and e-readers. Interestingly, every reader who commented stated they enjoyed using an e-reader (Kindle, Nook, or iPad). They cited the ease of ordering a new book, the ability to browse through sample chapters, and the convenience of carrying dozens of titles in the e-reader for travel and vacation. None of them preferred a paper copy over an ebook and said that owning an ebook would not prevent them from buying a traditional paper copy as for a personal library. When I told fans that my next books may come exclusively as ebooks, none expressed any resentment.

Stay tuned.

Labels: Eytan Kollin, Garner Dozoir, Glen Cook, Jason Heller, MileHiCon

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 7:34 PM  8 comments

  Feeding the beast Mario here:

Last Friday, I attended a Friday 500 at Lighthouse Writers and the guest writer was cultural raconteur Jason Heller, which many of you Denver metroplex locals might recognize from his contributions to The Onion's AV section and Westword. Jason pimped his forthcoming book, the political satire Taft 2012, where former-president William Howard Taft reappears and is drafted to run--again--for US President.
Jason discussed how he came to pen this novel and the evolution of his writing process, from angst-ridden wordsmith to professional literary sausage machine. In fact, I was there at the beginning when at last year's MileHiCon, Jason and I kicked around ideas for the book, which he was starting to draft. The novel is from Quirk Books, those folks responsible for masterpiece mash-ups such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Taft 2012--> Due January 2012





Now to vent:

The new Facebook...I hate the updates.

In the prehistoric days of the Internet--like a couple of years ago--when social media was so new a concept that it lacked a name (as in social media)...

Lo, there was MySpace, a good thing we writers were told. Go forth and friend your way to the bestseller list. But MySpace became as cumbersome as a brontosaurus.

Then Facebook arrived and starved out MySpace (and its dinosaur cousin Friendster). Facebook was the place to be. But the pitiless and relentless cycle of high-tech Darwinism continues and now Goggle+ threatens to choke FB.

FB attempts to justify its relevance by reinventing itself, at our expense. What don't I like?

The news feed for starters. What am I supposed to do with that? It's just more noise. As it is, I've tuned out the side banner chatter. FB assumes it is a priority in my life on the Internet, but it's not. And now with its changes, even less so. I don't have the time nor the inclination to futz around with FB, and resent that I've been forced to.

Some of you say, don't complain, because FB is a free service. Make no mistake, you are paying dearly. Zuckerbeg and his minions track your every move and click. They've assembled a detailed profile on each of us and that information is gold to marketers. One of the new changes is that FB has made it easier for third parties to latch onto you, and trust me, FB pockets coin with every exchange. So you have every right to complain, since you are the fodder that put the Billionaire in front of Zuckerberg's name.

Labels: dinosaurs, hipster glasses, Jason Heller, Quirk Books

  ¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 1:44 PM  4 comments