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 10, 2013
All the news...
On the League front: Jaye Wells (Blue Blooded Vamp) won the RT BookReviewers award
for Best Urban Fantasy Novel and Diana Rowland (Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues) for best Urban Fantasy Protagonist! As a former RT winner myself, I
know how exciting this is! I look forward to partying with them next month at RT in Kansas City.
A small tribute to Annette Funicello-- she really was an American sweetheart--
Next Tuesday, April 16th, pal Jackie Kessler debuts the latest in her YA series, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse: Breath
From Amazon: Contrary to popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and creator, Death, becomes suicidal?
Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world's only hope. But Xander bears a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
If you haven't tried this series, you can start with Breath--the books don't need to be read in order. Jackie is a wonderful writer and Breath appeals to more than the YA audience. You should give it a try.
Lots of good news from writer pals—Rocky Mountain Fiction
Writers’ Cindy Myers (The View From Here) and Warren Hammond (Kop Killer) are finalists in the 2013 Colorado
Book Awards. Now Cindy is a regular at Fair Play and Warren is a critique party so I'm especially thrilled for them both.
Not too long ago Mario was named on a B&N List of best paranormal fantasy books of the decade. This week Mark Henry's Happy Hour of the Damned was honored as one of the top 20 Zombie novels of the decade. Paul Goat Allen is at it again!
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A small tribute to Annette Funicello-- she really was an American sweetheart--
# # # #
Next Tuesday, April 16th, pal Jackie Kessler debuts the latest in her YA series, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse: Breath
From Amazon: Contrary to popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and creator, Death, becomes suicidal?
Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world's only hope. But Xander bears a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
If you haven't tried this series, you can start with Breath--the books don't need to be read in order. Jackie is a wonderful writer and Breath appeals to more than the YA audience. You should give it a try.
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This one stunned me:
Disney Shuts Down LucasArts, Cancels Star Wars 1313 And Star Wars: First Assault
Disney has laid off the staff of LucasArts and cancelled
all current projects. Full story here
Too bad-- I thought this looked good!
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From last week: Christa, email me at jeanne@jeannestein.com so I can send you your gift card. You were correct with your answer, even though it made me realize there were actually two errors in the timeline--one of which has yet to be mentioned. Makes me appreciate how thorough the copy editors of my books are and how much I need them!
Labels: Annette Funicello, Breath, Cindy Myers, Diana Rowland, Jackie Morse Kessler, Jaye Wells, LucasArts, Mark Henry, Star Wars, Warren Hammond
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 6:54 PM 0 comments
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Nothing succeeds like success
Mario here:
What I'm reading this week: In The Woods by Tana French.
Getting published is an emotional boxing match, you versus Goliath. Unless you got an enchanted sling and rock in your backpack, expect a long, bruising battle. You pour yourself into your work, and it's so easy for an agent to say no. Once upon a time, they had to take minutes to scrawl a negative missive on your letter and stuff it into an SASE. Now with the magic of the Internet, rejection takes seconds. David Cameron performed an experiment to demonstrate how myopic the process can be. He copied a short story published in The New Yorker, thinking here is a work that had been vetted by the top pooch in the dog pile of American short fiction, and so it must easily pass any literary smell test. But no. Every magazine he submitted the story to, rejected it. Including The New Yorker. What did Cameron prove? That the system was unfair? Waa, waa! Like that's a surprise.
For the past couple of weeks, millions of computer bytes have been chewed up regarding Hugh Howey, the success of his novel Wool, and what that means in the publishing world. Many have hyper-ventilated in their claims that Howey's experience with Kindle was a game changer for writers. Namely that us hacks no longer needed the blessing of the New York Six to make money from our work. We can all get rich self-publishing our ebooks. After all, Howey turned down seven-figure advances. But not so fast. What Howey proved was to demonstrate that old truism: If people can make money from you, they will come knocking. And, like Howey, you can turn down their deals if you got plenty of fuck you money in your pocket. Howey hadn't done anything that others haven't tried. Some with better success than others. (A few friends have managed to quit their day jobs; others have yet to sell more than a half-dozen copies.) Howey happened to have the alignment of the stars, some luck, and a damn good story well told. Have self-pubbed ebooks changed the market? Only by 25%. That means 75% of book sales are still in traditional paper form.
Though we've pimped them before, to keep the pump primed of some deserving writers recently venturing into the self-pubbed ebook swamp, including our own Jeanne, please patronize these offerings. If you already have copies, then please post a review and hustle the books to your friends.
Mario here:
What I'm reading this week: In The Woods by Tana French.
Getting published is an emotional boxing match, you versus Goliath. Unless you got an enchanted sling and rock in your backpack, expect a long, bruising battle. You pour yourself into your work, and it's so easy for an agent to say no. Once upon a time, they had to take minutes to scrawl a negative missive on your letter and stuff it into an SASE. Now with the magic of the Internet, rejection takes seconds. David Cameron performed an experiment to demonstrate how myopic the process can be. He copied a short story published in The New Yorker, thinking here is a work that had been vetted by the top pooch in the dog pile of American short fiction, and so it must easily pass any literary smell test. But no. Every magazine he submitted the story to, rejected it. Including The New Yorker. What did Cameron prove? That the system was unfair? Waa, waa! Like that's a surprise.
Though we've pimped them before, to keep the pump primed of some deserving writers recently venturing into the self-pubbed ebook swamp, including our own Jeanne, please patronize these offerings. If you already have copies, then please post a review and hustle the books to your friends.
Labels: Cloud City, Hugh Howey, Mark Henry, rejection, Sea Foam, shrimping, Tana French, Wool
¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 8:55 PM 5 comments
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Signs of Spring
And one more thing. I put my first Kindle book up on Amazon...Cloud City...it's an Anna Strong novella and if you'd like to check it out, here's the link
and the cover:
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Writers spend a lot of time talking about money...and even more time thinking about it. On one of my loops, I came across this post by Lawrence Block on getting by on a writer's income. It was posted a year ago, but it's as relevant now as ever.
Here's just one quote that I can relate to:
Let Financial Need Be a Spur, Not a Sledgehammer
Mickey Spillane has told of the time when he was living on an offshore island, spending a lot of time on the beach and generally taking life easy. “I decided it would be fun to write a story,” he recalls, “but I couldn’t get an idea. I took long walks, I sat at the typewriter, but I couldn’t seem to come up with an idea. Then one day I got a call from my accountant. He said the money was starting to run short. And you know what? All of a sudden I started getting one idea after the other.”
Now I realize I'm lucky...I don't have to live on my income. It's a good thing really. But writing is certainly a crapshoot and one should never forget that!!
This is so cool!! I joined!! Veronica Mars Kickstarter Program! I loved this show...
Ever wish you had a bookstore in your living room? It's not unusual for some people to have large home libraries, but those are private spaces; now, a Japanese couple has worked with Atelier Bow-Wow to design a home that's intended to be open to the public.
When the couple retired, they moved to Izu, a vacation area in Japan, and decided to build a home. They told the architects they wanted "a house with a bookshop and a cafe where neighbors and visitors can stop by," according to Japan Architecture Urbanism. A bedroom and guest room are tucked behind the shop and cafe.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
Check it out here: Amazon
Next Mark Henry
-->
-->
Jeremy, an infamous foot fetishist doomed to the quirkiest 12-step group ever, falls off the wagon spectacularly when he meets Beverly. She is a "beneather", one of an alien species living alongside us after rising from the depths of the ocean. She is perfect for Jeremy. Smart. Beautiful. Great feet. But does Beverly's reciprocation smack of a sinister and slimy secret? Will Jeremy's probation officer revoke his freedom before he meets a bitter, sweaty end? And more importantly, did someone remember to bring donuts and coffee to the 12-step group?
In this short tale of aliens, foot fetishism and life choices gone horribly awry, Mark Henry returns to his roots, stirring up comedy and horror, muddling in a little sex and serving it up ice cold.
Get it at Amazon here
Jeanne here:
And one more thing. I put my first Kindle book up on Amazon...Cloud City...it's an Anna Strong novella and if you'd like to check it out, here's the link
and the cover:
# # # #
Writers spend a lot of time talking about money...and even more time thinking about it. On one of my loops, I came across this post by Lawrence Block on getting by on a writer's income. It was posted a year ago, but it's as relevant now as ever.
Here's just one quote that I can relate to:
Let Financial Need Be a Spur, Not a Sledgehammer
Mickey Spillane has told of the time when he was living on an offshore island, spending a lot of time on the beach and generally taking life easy. “I decided it would be fun to write a story,” he recalls, “but I couldn’t get an idea. I took long walks, I sat at the typewriter, but I couldn’t seem to come up with an idea. Then one day I got a call from my accountant. He said the money was starting to run short. And you know what? All of a sudden I started getting one idea after the other.”
Now I realize I'm lucky...I don't have to live on my income. It's a good thing really. But writing is certainly a crapshoot and one should never forget that!!
# # # #
This is so cool!! I joined!! Veronica Mars Kickstarter Program! I loved this show...
# # # #
Wondering what to do when you retire? Turn your house into a bookstore! Ever wish you had a bookstore in your living room? It's not unusual for some people to have large home libraries, but those are private spaces; now, a Japanese couple has worked with Atelier Bow-Wow to design a home that's intended to be open to the public.
When the couple retired, they moved to Izu, a vacation area in Japan, and decided to build a home. They told the architects they wanted "a house with a bookshop and a cafe where neighbors and visitors can stop by," according to Japan Architecture Urbanism. A bedroom and guest room are tucked behind the shop and cafe.
# # # #
Last but not least: two Reluctant Leaguers with new books for your enjoyment
Jackie Morse Kessler
Contrary to
popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of
doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and
creator, Death, becomes suicidal?
Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He
has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is
not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on
life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world's only hope. But Xander bears
a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
Check it out here: Amazon
Next Mark Henry
Jeremy, an infamous foot fetishist doomed to the quirkiest 12-step group ever, falls off the wagon spectacularly when he meets Beverly. She is a "beneather", one of an alien species living alongside us after rising from the depths of the ocean. She is perfect for Jeremy. Smart. Beautiful. Great feet. But does Beverly's reciprocation smack of a sinister and slimy secret? Will Jeremy's probation officer revoke his freedom before he meets a bitter, sweaty end? And more importantly, did someone remember to bring donuts and coffee to the 12-step group?
In this short tale of aliens, foot fetishism and life choices gone horribly awry, Mark Henry returns to his roots, stirring up comedy and horror, muddling in a little sex and serving it up ice cold.
Labels: Cloud City, Jackie Morse Kessler, Jeanne C. Stein, Kickstarter, Lawrence Block, Mark Henry, Veronica Mars
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 6:44 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Clean Desk/Sick Mind?
There is supposed to be a video here and I have no idea why it's not showing up...a blogger mystery!
January 11th: National Clean Off Your Desk Day
Monday was National Clean Off Your Desk Week. So, how's your work space? Send us a picture (before and after if you'd like) and let's see who has the messiest desk and whose cleaned up best.
There is supposed to be a video here and I have no idea why it's not showing up...a blogger mystery!
Monday was National Clean Off Your Desk Week. So, how's your work space? Send us a picture (before and after if you'd like) and let's see who has the messiest desk and whose cleaned up best.
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Photo credit: National Western Stock Show Photos
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Photo credit: National Western Stock Show Photos
Denver's holiday season extends well in January with The National Western Stock Show. The mutton-bustin event where little kids try their luck on little sheep is a favorite of everybody. I think even the sheep have fun with his one!
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Let's see--by now most of you have heard who has been cast as Lee Child's Jack Reacher in the upcoming movie. In case you haven't, follow this link to an article in the WSJ and tell us what you think. All I can say is...huh?????
# # # #
Ah, a puppy bookmark. Isn't he cute?
From Buzzfeed
# # # #
Here are my favorites:
Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. — G.K. Chesterson
(from Coraline by Neil Gaiman)
Lawyers, I suppose, were children once. — Charles Lamb
(from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)
Behind every great fortune there is a crime. — Balzac
(from The Godfather by Mario Puzo)
# # # #
What happens in a book store at night?
(I seem to have lost the credit for this one. I apologize.)
# # # #
Creative bookshelves:
More here at Crooked Brains.
# # # #
On another note, here's the other Mark Henry... can hardly tell them apart.
And speaking of the League, two members have new books out you should check out:
That's it for me this week. How's your January going so far? Let me know what's up.
Ah, a puppy bookmark. Isn't he cute?
From Buzzfeed
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From Flavorwire : 25 Greatest Epigraph's in Literature
The epigraph is a funny literary convention: excerpting lines of someone else’s work — or quotes, adages, lines of verse, lyrics, snippets of conversation, etc — to put before your own...They may seem a trivial part of the work they come attached to, but we think, if done properly, they can be very illuminating.
Here are my favorites:
Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. — G.K. Chesterson
(from Coraline by Neil Gaiman)
Lawyers, I suppose, were children once. — Charles Lamb
(from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)
Behind every great fortune there is a crime. — Balzac
(from The Godfather by Mario Puzo)
Have you ever used an epigraph in your writing? Want to share?
# # # #
What happens in a book store at night?
(I seem to have lost the credit for this one. I apologize.)
# # # #
Creative bookshelves:
More here at Crooked Brains.
# # # #
Let's finish off with one of my favorite funny men, author Mark Henry , the founding father of The League of Reluctant Adults. Here he expounds on his Goals for the Apocalypse.
Note to self: ask first if he grew them himself before eating vegetables at Mark's house.
On another note, here's the other Mark Henry... can hardly tell them apart.
Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
# # # #
And speaking of the League, two members have new books out you should check out:
Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
And
Silver Tongued Devil by Jaye Wells
That's it for me this week. How's your January going so far? Let me know what's up.
Labels: Buzzfeed, Crooked Brains, Diana Rowland, Flavorwire, Jaye Wells, Mark Henry, National Western Stock Show
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 1:45 PM 11 comments
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Julie Newmar, Jennifer Aniston...RAWR!
Mario here:
Quote of the Week...comes from ComicCon--specifically the panel reuniting the cast of the Batman TV series: Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar (the first Catwoman). West revealed how he got the role: "I was hired to play Batman because they saw a commercial I'd done for Nestle's Quik," West recalled, and they said, 'This is the turkey to play him.' "
From The Hub/Discovery via TheWrap.com.
Julie Newmar, back when.
I was in the fourth grade when the TV show first came out, and I ran to Woolworths to buy a Batman cap/mask. It was a black-felt beanie with small Batman ears. The short bill had eye holes and was sewn to point down instead of horizontally. I took mine to school the next day but was too embarrassed to wear it until I noticed everyone had one. Holy Geekdom! For a while, those ridiculous Batman cap/masks were everywhere, and now you can't even find one eBay.
I've been slacking on my reading so no book report this week. Blame the heat which I escaped in a nice, cool air-conditioned theater. Twice.
First up. Captain America. Lots of dazzle. Wonderful 1940s aesthetics but the story didn't measure up to the SFX. A comic book on the big screen. More of a prequel than anything else.
And then...Horrible Bosses. Three put-upon schmucks scheme to kill their tyrant bosses. Well...ahem...seeing Jennifer Aniston as the über-cougar Dr. Julia Harris practically fall out of her dentist's smock while talking so filthy she'd make Mark Henry blush, that alone was worth the price of admission. So I vote YES! For purely artistic reasons, of course.
The funniest scenes were of the three white guys wandering into a seedy ghetto bar in search of a hit man. They find Jamie Foxx--an ex-con poser whose most bad-ass trait is his moniker: Motherfucker Jones. ;-)
Foxx's character could've easily stolen the show but he was kept on a short leash. Why didn't he volunteer to take care of Dr. Harris' nymphomania?
No spoilers but the ending was a little too contrived and cute. Still----------------------->
Any summertime movie favorites on your list?
Don't forget...Mucho Mojo Nicole Peeler, Kimberly Frost, and Jeanne Stein, Thursday, Aug 4, 7-9pm, at Madwine Bar & Novo Coffee, Denver.
And then Lizzie T. Leaf and Melissa Mayhue join the team for a signing on Sunday, Aug 7, 4pm at the Broadway Book Mall, Denver.
Quote of the Week...comes from ComicCon--specifically the panel reuniting the cast of the Batman TV series: Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar (the first Catwoman). West revealed how he got the role: "I was hired to play Batman because they saw a commercial I'd done for Nestle's Quik," West recalled, and they said, 'This is the turkey to play him.' "
From The Hub/Discovery via TheWrap.com.Julie Newmar, back when.
I was in the fourth grade when the TV show first came out, and I ran to Woolworths to buy a Batman cap/mask. It was a black-felt beanie with small Batman ears. The short bill had eye holes and was sewn to point down instead of horizontally. I took mine to school the next day but was too embarrassed to wear it until I noticed everyone had one. Holy Geekdom! For a while, those ridiculous Batman cap/masks were everywhere, and now you can't even find one eBay.
I've been slacking on my reading so no book report this week. Blame the heat which I escaped in a nice, cool air-conditioned theater. Twice.
First up. Captain America. Lots of dazzle. Wonderful 1940s aesthetics but the story didn't measure up to the SFX. A comic book on the big screen. More of a prequel than anything else.
And then...Horrible Bosses. Three put-upon schmucks scheme to kill their tyrant bosses. Well...ahem...seeing Jennifer Aniston as the über-cougar Dr. Julia Harris practically fall out of her dentist's smock while talking so filthy she'd make Mark Henry blush, that alone was worth the price of admission. So I vote YES! For purely artistic reasons, of course.The funniest scenes were of the three white guys wandering into a seedy ghetto bar in search of a hit man. They find Jamie Foxx--an ex-con poser whose most bad-ass trait is his moniker: Motherfucker Jones. ;-)
Foxx's character could've easily stolen the show but he was kept on a short leash. Why didn't he volunteer to take care of Dr. Harris' nymphomania?
No spoilers but the ending was a little too contrived and cute. Still----------------------->
Any summertime movie favorites on your list?
Don't forget...Mucho Mojo Nicole Peeler, Kimberly Frost, and Jeanne Stein, Thursday, Aug 4, 7-9pm, at Madwine Bar & Novo Coffee, Denver.
And then Lizzie T. Leaf and Melissa Mayhue join the team for a signing on Sunday, Aug 7, 4pm at the Broadway Book Mall, Denver.
Labels: Adam West, Batman, Horrible Bosses, Jennifer Aniston, Julie Newmar, Mark Henry
¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 9:24 AM 6 comments
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I gots the devil in me.
Last week, I asked if during the process of creating, are we playing God?
Mario here:
Happy Valentine's Day! If there is that one day to get a little naughty, well, we won't judge.
Last week, I asked if during the process of creating, are we playing God?
This week I'm going in the opposite direction by asking: What puts the devil in us? What's the appeal of being inappropriate? Why do we enjoy acting naughty? Why misbehave?
Stealing a cookie.
Sneaking a drink.
Peeking under a skirt.
Why do it?
These questions were inspired, not surprisingly, by Mark Henry's recent visit to Denver for the VooDoo Scorned Lovers Art Show. (If the link acts a little screwy, search Facebook for VooDoo Scorned Lovers Weekend) In fact, Mark was specifically brought in to flaunt his outrageous and blue humor for an erotic reading at the show. (Not that any of us in Denver needed any coaching.) Erotic might be too generous a word as he read from the scandalous Patience.
Quim, Cods, & Organ of Dominion.
You'd think from the cover of the book, you're getting soft-focus romance. Ha! If you read this story, better bring handi-wipes.
Learn more in this review of Patience by Lisa Valdez.
Life is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
We're all alone, no chaperone
Can get our number
The world's in slumber--let's misbehave!
Can get our number
The world's in slumber--let's misbehave!
Loosening the restraints is way of addressing the pressures of life. A good laugh does a lot more to relieve stress and lift your mood than any pill. Being naughty lets us feel we've got some control in our lives as we thumb our noses at authority.
And who better to thumb its collective nose at authority than the League of Reluctant Adults. We've revamped our blogging schedule, as in, we didn't have one before and now we do. There's a new post every day, so you can get your League freak on all month long.
Having fun doesn't have to be naughty. Okay, maybe some naughty moves.
Which segues into the Big News.
My swing dance instructor at the Mercury Cafe, Tiffiny Wine, won a Westword MasterMind Award. Hoo-Rah! She had asked me for a letter of recommendation, which I did write--not that I have any pull in anything. Check out her moves. Go Tiff!
Labels: Art Salon, Mark Henry, Patience, the devil
¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 3:56 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Mothers, Watch Your Daughters
Well, Denverites, you are in for a treat. This weekend Mark Henry will be in town for two--count em--two events.
Friday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. – Mark will discuss and sign Road Trip of the Living Dead at the Broadway Book Mall, 200 S. Broadway, Denver. Copies of his prior (also very funny) novel, Battle of the Network Zombies, will also be available. Brought to us by local author Mario Acevedo, who will do the introduction.
And then, Round Two of Mr. Henry at the Scorned Lovers Art Show. Saturday, Feb 12, 6-9 pm at the Art Salon, 2219 East 21st Street, at York St near City Park. Mark will lock arms with Denver poet Kate Redmond in a special erotic reading that promises to show that nothing is too lowbrow for us.
If you want an idea of what Mark is about, check out his video here on the League of Reluctant Adults.
Well, Denverites, you are in for a treat. This weekend Mark Henry will be in town for two--count em--two events.
Friday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. – Mark will discuss and sign Road Trip of the Living Dead at the Broadway Book Mall, 200 S. Broadway, Denver. Copies of his prior (also very funny) novel, Battle of the Network Zombies, will also be available. Brought to us by local author Mario Acevedo, who will do the introduction.
And then, Round Two of Mr. Henry at the Scorned Lovers Art Show. Saturday, Feb 12, 6-9 pm at the Art Salon, 2219 East 21st Street, at York St near City Park. Mark will lock arms with Denver poet Kate Redmond in a special erotic reading that promises to show that nothing is too lowbrow for us.
If you want an idea of what Mark is about, check out his video here on the League of Reluctant Adults.
# # # #
I have had such a good week writing on my book, I'm having trouble coming up with anything intelligible for this blog. Words just flowed...it could have something to do with being snowbound for three days. Or it could be that I'm giving Anna some new choices and making her think about them.
Now, however, the sun is back out and life must go on. I will venture out to run errands and get a haircut and tonight I speak at the Southglenn Library.
I love library groups. I've decided to talk on a subject I'm always asked about--ideas: where they come from, how they get fleshed out from a glimmer to a book. Maybe I'll put together a blog post on that one day in the future.
Anyway, locals out there-- you can catch me tonight at Southglenn and this weekend with Mario at Mark Henry's events. And next week I'll dish the media news. If you'd like to share how you wile away the snowy hours, please do.
PS The pictures are of my back yard.
I have had such a good week writing on my book, I'm having trouble coming up with anything intelligible for this blog. Words just flowed...it could have something to do with being snowbound for three days. Or it could be that I'm giving Anna some new choices and making her think about them.
Now, however, the sun is back out and life must go on. I will venture out to run errands and get a haircut and tonight I speak at the Southglenn Library.
I love library groups. I've decided to talk on a subject I'm always asked about--ideas: where they come from, how they get fleshed out from a glimmer to a book. Maybe I'll put together a blog post on that one day in the future.
Anyway, locals out there-- you can catch me tonight at Southglenn and this weekend with Mario at Mark Henry's events. And next week I'll dish the media news. If you'd like to share how you wile away the snowy hours, please do.
PS The pictures are of my back yard.
Labels: Mark Henry, Southglenn Library
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:51 PM 2 comments
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Why do we like to play God?
Mario here:
Mario here:
I was asked in a recent interview if creating visual art and writing fiction had anything in common. I answered that for me, my painting and fiction writing run on parallel tracks and have little to do with each other except to compete for my time.
I added that our need to create may be a God complex, where we decide to create work in our image as a reaction against the circumstances of our existence. This creation is a means of self-expression and can take many forms: writing, painting, sculpting, music, cooking, knitting, sewing, customizing cars; basically you take some stuff and turn it into something else.
What is this compulsion to create? When I was in college, my dad told me that art was a waste of time and since I personally didn't know any working artists (other than art teachers), I couldn't disagree with him. An office job was what I should aspire to. So I gave away my paints and sketch pads and tried to forget doing art. But I couldn't stop drawing or thinking about painting. I bought another set of watercolors and got back into slinging the paint.
So do my visual art and writing fiction have anything in common? I'll amend my previous
answer because upon reflection, they do. Back in the sixth grade, Mrs. Anderson paired up the students in her English class, with the assignment of writing a book (more of a booklet, about 20 pages). I was teamed with Stuart Williams and we were both crazy about Star Trek (the original series). While the other students were writing and illustrating their books about lost puppies, Santa having his sleigh stolen, what-have-you, Stuart and I got busy creating a science fiction saga. When it was time to turn in the books, he and I didn't have ours. Since Stuart and I were good students, Mrs. Anderson asked what we'd been doing for the last six weeks. We showed her a thick binder filled with drawings, schematics, crew rosters, star charts, uniforms, story boards of battle scenes. Basically, we'd been overwhelmed by what turned out to be a star ship epic. Even though we hadn't completed the assignment, we'd done more work than everyone else, and she gave us A's.While that binder is probably rotting in a landfill, the story didn't die. I kept turning it over and over in my mind, constantly day-dreaming about the plot and living in a world that was a lot more interesting than life in dusty Las Cruces. I jotted my ideas into a series of sketchbooks, with drawings, maps, and narratives. One time, I invited the preacher's son to my home and showed him the sketchbooks. He told the cute girls at church that I lived in a silly cuckoo land. Bastard. After that, I kept the drawings to myself.
Years later, in critique group, one of our members decided to show us what she meant in her story by bringing out sketchbooks of her fantasy world. I had found my tribe!
I guess like most of you writers and artists, if measured strictly by time spent vs. money earned, we might be better off cleaning carpets or bookkeeping. But God Himself, or Herself, wasn't content maintaining the universe as it was. So there.
Plus! This Tuesday evening, Feb 8, catch Jeanne and me at the Smoky Hills Library, 5430 South Biscay Circle, Centennial CO (303-542-7279).
And now, for the important news: Mark Henry is coming to Denver! Yes, the premier zombie enthusiast and snark stylist will be in the Front Range to flay us with his wit and prose.
This Friday, Feb 11, 7pm, at the Broadway Book Mall, 200 S Broadway, Denver, CO. He'll be signing his latest massmarket release, Road Trip of the Living Dead, and Battle of the Network Zombies.
And then, Round Two of Mr. Henry at the Scorned Lovers Art Show. Saturday, Feb 12, 6-9pm at the Art Salon, 2219 East 21st Street, Denver. At York St near City Park for you locals. Mark will lock arms with Denver poet Kate Redmond in a special erotic reading that promises to show that nothing is too lowbrow for us. Eat special Valentine's cupcakes and browse the awesome artwork. Enchant a new lover or hex a treacherous past amante by jabbing a pin into the giant Love VooDoo Doll. Work out your contempt at broken romance by helping us demolish the Scorned Lovers piñata with the big black Love Stick. It's the other side of love and we've all been there. You be here!
Labels: Art Salon, big black Love Stick, Creating, Mark Henry, playing God, Scorned Love
¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 2:19 PM 8 comments
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Ho-Ho-Ho?????
I Am Number Four—although I hate mentioning the J.F. name (so I won’t), this looks pretty good though the themes sound familiar: “I won’t let anyone hurt you"- "I'll love you forever..." etc. etc.
Any one else feel as disorganized as I do? I even lost my favorite pen...well, I didn't actually lose it. I know it's buried under the rubble on my dining room table. Wrapping paper, cards, gifts, lists...Speaking of which, every time I complete one thing, three more appear. I haven't done a lick of writing in a month. Not writing makes me antsy. I'm counting the days to Christmas for a completely different reason than most. Once the holiday is over, I can get back to a regular schedule!!
Speaking of the gift-giving season, one of our league pals, Mark Henry, has a new book out. Now this one isn't for the faint of heart on your list. It's his first Ellora's Cave book which means sex--plenty of it. You can check it out here .
Speaking of the gift-giving season, one of our league pals, Mark Henry, has a new book out. Now this one isn't for the faint of heart on your list. It's his first Ellora's Cave book which means sex--plenty of it. You can check it out here .
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On to some movie news--
I Am Number Four—although I hate mentioning the J.F. name (so I won’t), this looks pretty good though the themes sound familiar: “I won’t let anyone hurt you"- "I'll love you forever..." etc. etc.
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Trailer for Tron: Legacy
Hits the theaters December 17th in 3D.
Hits the theaters December 17th in 3D.
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And last but not least, From Shelf Awareness and Deadline.com :Cate Blanchett is returning as Galadriel in The Hobbit, which Peter Jackson directs in February. Jackson has also set Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson's War) to play Dwarf Lord Balin, Sylvester McCoy (Dr. Who) to play the wizard Radagast the Brown, and Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt (Day and Night) to play shape-shifter Beorn. Ryan Gage (Outlaw) will play Drogo Baggins and Jed Brophy (who appeared in the original The Lord of the Rings) will play the dwarf Nori, and William Kircher will play the dwarf Bifur.
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Two fun articles from Flavorwire :
5 Forgotten Literary Vampires
11:00 am Wednesday Dec 8, 2010 by Chelsea Bauch
Nice article about well—five forgotten literary vampires. How many of the stories have you read?
From Shelf Awareness and Flavorwire :
Literary Smackdown: Chaucer vs. Shakespeare
Who Invented More New Words?
And the word champion is... Flavorwire explored Vivian Cook's All in a Word (Melville House) and was particularly intrigued by the the wordy inventiveness of Chaucer and Shakespeare: "While Cook notes in both instances that the famed writers probably didn’t invent the words listed, as much as make the first recorded use of the language around them, it’s interesting to see who’s responsible for what."
Okay, I'm out for this week. Hope you're all enjoying the season and are better prepared than I seem to be.
5 Forgotten Literary Vampires
11:00 am Wednesday Dec 8, 2010 by Chelsea Bauch
Nice article about well—five forgotten literary vampires. How many of the stories have you read?
From Shelf Awareness and Flavorwire :
Literary Smackdown: Chaucer vs. Shakespeare
Who Invented More New Words?
And the word champion is... Flavorwire explored Vivian Cook's All in a Word (Melville House) and was particularly intrigued by the the wordy inventiveness of Chaucer and Shakespeare: "While Cook notes in both instances that the famed writers probably didn’t invent the words listed, as much as make the first recorded use of the language around them, it’s interesting to see who’s responsible for what."
Okay, I'm out for this week. Hope you're all enjoying the season and are better prepared than I seem to be.
Labels: Amanda Feral, I Am Four, Mark Henry, The Hobbit, Tron:Legacy
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 8:39 AM 7 comments
