I’m busy getting caught up on some a backlog of work so I can focus exclusively on writing after that, so today we have link salad.
First, here’s an interview I did for the Denver Post a while back.
This interview ended up being a bit different. It was a phone interview. (That’s not the different part.) And when the journalist called, she asked if her daughter could listen in, because she was a big fan of the books.
I said it was no problem, and when I found out that she was 18 and about to leave for college, I asked if she wanted some advice. Because I have a weakness for giving advice, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s college.
She said yes, so I gave her some advice.
What’s interesting is that they included the advice to the daughter in the interview. After re-reading it, I’m happy to say it was pretty good advice. It wasn’t just a product of over-caffeination.
Second, I wanted to point folks at Wednesday’s comic over at Real Life.
Why am I pointing you at that comic? Because right now I’m brewing a batch of mead, and I have done exactly what he’s talking about. Except without the smartphone. Because I’m apparently the last person on earth without a smartphone.
Thirdly and lastly, a quick story. Or rather, a series of stories that make a sort of story gestalt.
Though I don’t gamble much, it’s always fascinated me. Back in high school, I used what little calculus I knew to create a roulette betting system that I was pretty sure would make me rich.
Luckily, at that point in my life I didn’t have access to a car or a line of credit. What’s more, when I wrote a computer program to model my betting strategy, it kept losing money. So I gave it up as a bad idea and kept playing D&D instead.
Fast forward to last year, when Worldcon was held in Reno. A reader contacted me and asked if I’d like some help finding a room in Reno. Jade worked in the hospitality business, and hooked me up with some accommodations.
He also sent me this map:
(Click to Embiggen)
If you click on it, you can see that it has helpful tips on it, such as, “Do not go here or you will die.”
I got a kick out of it, and posted it up on Google+ for other people to see.
A couple days later when I was doing a signing in Reno, someone came up to me and said, “I went to that place that the map said I shouldn’t.”
I nodded. This didn’t surprise me. I had the same impulse when I saw it. The main reason I hadn’t already gone myself is that I was too busy with the convention.
“Did you die?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “But someone stole my car.”
At that point I decided to take Jade’s advice a little more seriously. And, as you can see, I’m still alive. So I count that as a success.
I found out a couple months back that Jade had actually started up a blog where he talks about casinos and gambling. It’s not only funny, but informative, as he has a insider’s knowledge of casinos and casino towns.
You can check it out HERE.
That’s all for now,
pat
P.S. We’re still shipping out Worldbuilders prizes. So keep an eye on your mailboxes.