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I usually don't post on a weekend, but I just found out about this.

Atlanta Nights: The Movie!

Scott Lynch Interview

Since I'm still reading Red Seas Under Red Skies, the 2nd in Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards series, I figured I would see if I could locate an interview of him.

Yes, I am still enjoying the series.  It's just that I only have so much time in a day...

You need to start with The Lies of Locke Lamora, which is a great read.  Camorr is a grimy, disgusting city, and Locke Lamora grows up to be a major thief, the only way he can survive after being orphaned at a very early age.  I'll admit it took me a while to get into the story, but once I did (and after I accepted the endless curses spoken by Locke and the other characters as just a necessary part of the story), I couldn't wait to get to the end to see what happened.

Obviously, the story then moves on to Red Seas Under Red Skies.

But here's the interview of Mr. Lynch (hippie, as Cartman on South Park would say ;-)).

Why You Shouldn't Write Fantasy

I happend upon a recently-closed thread on the Absolute Write boards last week (of course it was closed by the time I got to it; I miss all the good stuff!) wherein the OP said he was embarassed to read fantasy in public.  I read on and found he writes in the fantasy genre, too.

To which I say: WTF?

Let me 'splain something that I considered trying but then abandoned.

Anybody remember Marine Boy?

I loved this cartoon as a kid; the 60s brought a lot of anime to the U.S.  (I liked Speed Racer too.)

Of course, this probably makes me look like an old coot, but, eh, I don't care.

Fun, silly stuff.

This one's a really good copy.  Enjoy!

Domestic Violence

My day job is at the foundation of a well-known telecom company; you'd know the name, but I'm not going to say it here. :-)

A woman who mostly deals with domestic violence organizations just sent around an email with a link to an upcoming show on the Discovery Fitness & Health channel (formerly Discovery Health channel).

A plastic surgeon has taken it upon himself to help reconstruct the faces of two women and one little girl.  In the trailer I just viewed, he basically says he wants to cut away the scarring so these three can move on with their lives.

Very touching, even though it's just a trailer for the show.

Please watch it here, and count your lucky stars that you haven't had to deal with such horrible violence.

My Writing

Even though I haven't had much time the last few days to write, I did manage a little bit yesterday (yes, all new words, no rewriting) on my paranormal suspense story, Changing Faces (which might get a new name).

Not that the new name will be that much different, mind you. ;-)  I might change it to Trading Faces, but we'll see.

Changing Faces:  about 1,000 words.

I also want to finish up the first short in my series of shorts.  I don't yet have a name for this particular short, but the entire idea is based on an old movie (doesn't that figure for me?), Grand Hotel.  It's about a group of individual people in a Berlin hotel (this is before World War II, naturally), and their individual stories.  Greta Garbo plays a ballerina, John Barrymore is a washed-up actor (fantastic acting), Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, and John's brother, Lionel (you know, Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life?), are all in this movie.

Of course, I'm adding a fantasy element to these stories, and there's one character who's going to be in all of them, although in a more minor role.

Publishing Nightmares

Found a link to a blog post on Rachelle Gardner's blog (she's a literary agent) that sounds like this winter in the northeastern U.S.: HELL.

Here's the link.

Is it any wonder that more and more writers and would-be writers are turning to self publishing?

Nancy

Antagonists

A poster over on the AW blog started a February blog chain (of course I missed out on "signing up" for it, lol).  So, instead, I'll be doing that on my own - although the OP did say that "Bloggers, you are welcome to join in as we progress."

And I'll get my chance...whenever the chain gets to me (could be a while).

So here's my take on it all.

My Writing and the Indie Scene (such as it is)

This post got me thinking about a lot of things, mostly writing related.

Of course, I've been thinking about my writing, which, BTW, now includes another WIP, a paranormal suspense, that's actually based on a short story I tried to submit mucho years ago.  It was rejected by a few different ezines and print zines, and I let it slip by the wayside.

Congrats to the Green Bay Packers!

Yup, watched the Super Bowl all the way through.

It was an enjoyable game, and it wasn't until the end of the fourth quarter that (I think) anyone knew the Pack would win.

Aaron Rodgers was stellar; Ben R., less so.  Of course, Green Bay could've been up by a lot more points if some of his receivers held on to the ball.  But the Steelers kept coming back and coming back, and I was reminded of the 2nd Giants-Eagles game this year (what a nightmare, one I really don't want to remember).

The Steelers, though, weren't able to overcome the Packers' defense at the end.  Or maybe it was a combo of that and some poor throws by Big Ben.

Whatever.  I like both teams, still do (except when they play the Giants).

This was a great ending to the 2010 NFL season.  Now if the Collective Bargaining Agreement can be worked out before the start of the 2011 season...

Nancy Beck

Maria V. Snyder

I've loved Ms. Snyder's Study and Glass books.  Poison Study was especially an eye opener for me - plenty of humor, some romance, danger...really good stuff.

My Writing

I got back to writing my own stuff this week.  It's been a while, and I think it's a combo of being lazy (of which I have a lot of practice ;-)) and a tad of depression.

The depression stems from this crappy weather this winter.  Living in the northeastern U.S., you know the winter is going to be cold as all get out, there will be some snow, and you deal with it.

But this winter?  I mean, WTF?