Category Archives: recommendations

Published: March 13, 2009

On that which lies between (and The Watchmen)

I have an undeniable tendency to overconsider things. That means that sometimes, some of the things I want to say here end up becoming obsolete before I actually say them.

Like Coraline, for example. I really liked the movie. I wanted to post a blog about why I liked it, and recommend that people check it out. But movies come and go so fast, and I missed my window of opportunity for that one.

Part of the problem with writing these posts is that it’s hard for me to shift gears. It’s hard for me to post up something serious and involved, then two days later say, “Hey, y’all know what movie is really cool?”

Similarly, a day after I post up a humor column, it doesn’t seem really appropriate for me to post up the story of what I thought when I felt the pain in my chest and the tingling down my left arm.

You see, a novel needs continuity, pacing, consistency. I strive for these things, I’m hyper-aware of them. A novel can have funny bits and sweet bits. It can be romantic, dramatic, and horrible. But all those pieces need to come together to form a coherent whole.

It’s my belief that this coherency is one of the most important parts of any story. Comic, movie, or book, the medium doesn’t matter. I think that strange intangible element makes the difference between a story that’s satisfying, and one that isn’t.

In fact, now that I’m thinking of it, I think this strange something might actually be the soul of the story. It’s the difference between something that is a story, and something that just looks like a story.

You can’t just throw together a plot, some characters, some dialogue and some humor onto the page and get a real story. Not a true and vital story. It doesn’t work any more than throwing two arms, two legs, a head and bunch of organs into a sack makes a person.

Sure you need a plot, mostly. And you need characters and all the rest. But the story, I think, is the thing that connects these parts. The story is that which lies between.

Bigger stories need more of it. A novel needs it in spades.

Sometimes I wonder about what I write here. Does this collection of musings and anecdotes that I only reluctantly call a blog need that same coherency? I think not. Maybe. Probably. I think.

Still, old habits die hard, and so a lot of times I think of writing something for the blog, but it doesn’t seem timely. Other times I actually write something with the intention of posting it up, then decide that the time for it has past. Or I don’t post it because it seems odd or incongruent with what I have posting lately.

Hmmmm…

What was I talking about? Oh yes. The Watchmen.

In brief, I liked it. It was fun to watch, largely true to the spirit of the original, and I’d be happy if someone did that good a job bringing something I wrote onto the screen. Not ecstatic, perhaps. But very happy.

Did I have quibbles? Of course I did. The Watchmen was the second comic I read as an adult. I was 22 at the time, and it was a large part of what convinced me that the medium of comics wasn’t just a mess of childish bullshit.

I don’t believe in spoilers, so I won’t give anything away about the plot or the changes they made. Instead, I’ll just make some general comments.

I liked…

…the casting. Whoever was responsible for the casting in the movie deserves a full, passionate kiss on the mouth. The acting was brilliant, and the portrayal of many of the characters was truly exceptional.

… the fact that the movie was subtle and clever. I am a fan of subtle and clever.

… the visuals. Normally I could give a care about things like that. But many of these were truly fantastic. Very true to the comic while at the same time adding to the overall tone of the movie.

… the acting. So good on all fronts. I can’t remember the actor’s name who played the comedian, but he rang my bell. Every role I’ve seen him in he’s been great.

… seeing Dr. Manhattan’s great naked blue dick dangling all over the place. Huzzah.

I disliked…

… the loss of moral ambiguity the original story possessed.

… the portrayal of Ozymandias. Not the acting, mind you. The overall portrayal.

As I’ve said I don’t go in for spoilers. So that’s all I’ll say here. Maybe I’ll chime in with a more specific comment or two below. If you hate spoilers, you’ll probably want to avoid the comments section, as I expect there will be some heated and specific discussion.

Is the movie worth seeing? Absolutely. But you should really read the graphic novel too. It’s brilliant. It’s clever. It’s full of that which lies between.

Later all,

pat

Also posted in musings, tangentality, the craft of writing | By Pat65 Responses
Published: December 18, 2008

Various and Sundry things.

A couple days after watching Prince Caspian and going all frothy about it, I watched Wall-E.

Pixar never fails to amaze me. I can’t help but wonder how, as a team, they manage continuous brilliance. Well… to be fair, Cars was merely great. But other than that, everything they do is just a different flavor of incredible. Constantly manufacturing a good creative product is hard enough. But constant excellence produced by a changing team. That’s nigh-impossible.

Frankly, I expect some manner of pact with dark powers.

Or, more likely, Pixar has something like cull-the-heard Wednesdays. Where once a week someone quietly wanders through the office and has a close look at everyone. Susan is doodling a palindromic sestina on her napkin at lunch – Check. Terry is spontaneously reciting pi to a song of her own creation while using the Xerox machine – Check. Dave is humming the theme song from “Land of the Lost” while sending out zombie invitations on Facebook….

On Thursday, when the other workers ask why Dave’s desk is empty, management explains that they transferred him to a nice animation studio out in the country where he’ll have plenty of room to run and play.

So… yeah. Suffice to say that if Pixar wanted the rights to make a movie of the book, they wouldn’t have to fight very hard.

Sarah and I have almost managed to put the fundraiser to bed. Tomorrow should be our last busy day. After it’s all done, I’ll post up some pictures, give the final donations totals, and talk about our plans for the future.

I won’t be posting up a list of winners and their prizes because that would involve me putting folks’ personal information up on the web without their permission, and that isn’t cool.

Also, I didn’t e-mail everyone who won, because it would have taken WAY too long. So you might have won something even if you haven’t heard from me. But don’t e-mail me and ask about it. Seriously.

In other news, I’m on Goodreads now. I’m not planning on spending a huge amount of time there, but you can add me as a friend if you’re into that sort of thing.

And lastly, could some tech-savvy person out there do me a bit of a favor? Namely, could you change my Wikipedia picture, preferably to one that makes me look slightly less like a serial killer?

I appreciate that someone went through the trouble of uploading a photo. And I don’t deny that it’s a fairly accurate depiction of how I look most of the time. But still, if there is going to be a picture of me, I’d rather it not look like something that was pulled from a pamphlet titled “How to Spot a Sociopath.”

Later all,

pat

Also posted in Goodreads, hodgelany, social networking | By Pat31 Responses
Published: December 9, 2008

Some of the Best for Last – More Delicious Swag

Did I mention that Heifer International called my house? Yeah. They’re the coolest folks. Apparently some of them have been watching our fundraiser with more than passing interest. They confirmed something I had started to suspect. Namely, that y’all are cool as hell.This is the last treasure post, and we have some lovely stuff. Detailed below, we have another original manuscript, signed books and ARC’s, and some cool swag from Queen of the Geeks, Felicia Day.

I’ve raised the donation bar a couple times just in the last week, and right now it looks like we stand a good chance of actually raising more that 40,000 dollars. Which is awe-inspiring, really.

For the last month, the first thing I’ve done in the morning is check the Heifer donation page. It’s been a great way to start my day. But I’ll be honest with you, there have been a few times in the last week that I’ve woken up, looked at the total, and thought. “This is it. I really shouldn’t match any more. I said I’d keep going until Dec 11th, but I’m sure folks will understand if I stop matching donations a couple days early….”

When I get that feeling, I go look at Heifer’s website. Then I learn things like the fact that half the chickens in Korea are descended from eggs that Heifer supplied after the Korean War.

Or I read about a young man in Uganda who had to quit school to take care of his five younger siblings because his parents died. He got a Heifer, greatly improving the family’s nutrition. And the money they get from selling the surplus milk is helping to pay for school.

And then I think, “I can order Chinese food any time I want, and they bring it to my house. I have a car in reasonably good repair. I have a house that stays warm through the Wisconsin winters. I have a house full of books to read, and all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD. I am living the best possible life.”

Then I relax, and I realize that nothing makes me happier than raising the donation bar again. And again after that if need be.

Okay, enough touchy-feely. Let’s talk about free stuff.

  • A set of the first three books in Daniel Abraham’s Long Price Quartet: A Shadow in Summer, A Betrayal in Winter, and An Autumn War. Hardcover. Signed by the author.

While I haven’t mentioned these books on my blog, I’ve read them and they’re really good. In fact, these were the first books I ever decided to give an official blurb to.I’d almost forgotten about it. But when Daniel’s books showed up today, I saw that my blurb was actually there, right on the cover. First book: quote from GRRM. Second book: quote from GRRM. Third book? Quote from me. That’s right baby. Me.

So obviously I thought these were great books. But don’t take my word for it. Instead, why not trust bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss when he says, “There is much to love in the Long Price Quartet. It is epic in scope, but character-centered. The setting is unique yet utterly believable. The storytelling is smooth, careful, and–best of all–unpredictable.”

  • An advance reading copy of Jeri Smith-Ready’s The Reawakened, conclusion to the Aspect of Crow trilogy. Signed by the author.

Another one of those cool ARC’s for those of you who are interested in getting a peek at the book before it hits the shelves. Publisher’s Weekly says, “Myth blends with passion in this colorful conclusion to the Aspect of Crow trilogy.”

Award winning author Stephen Baxter calls Mirrored Heavens, “A crackling cyberthriller. This is Tom Clancy interfacing Bruce Sterling. David Williams has hacked into the future.”

  • A copy of Questions for a Soldier, by John Scalzi. Limited edition.

Questions for a Soldier is a limited edition Subterranean Press book set in the world of Scalzi’s first novel, Old Man’s War. Scalzi himself says, “for those of you looking for rare and unusual Scalzi-related curiosities, this is it, baby.”Paul Di Filippo, writing for The Washington Post Book World says, “Scalzi’s imagined interstellar arena is coherently and compellingly delineated….His speculative elements are top-notch. His combat scenes are blood-roiling. His dialogue is suitably snappy and profane.”

  • A set of S.C. Bulter’s Reiffen’s Choice and Queen Ferris, books one and two of The Stoneways Trilogy. Signed by the author.

Children’s Literature says, “Fantasy fans of all ages will be drawn into the world that Butler has created…. If one wanders away from the main characters they will not fall out of the story but will find another story somewhere in the Stoneways or Valing, and that is the mark of a truly great fantasy.”

This husband and wife team just sent me some of their stuff out of the blue. And I’ll admit that when this graphic novel showed up, I invoked my sovereign right of… um… book-lookingness. Anyway, I read it. And it was pretty cool….According to Publishers Weekly, “The tale’s unfamiliar setting and the uncanny events work together intriguingly.”

In a starred review, Kirkus says, “Featuring both an uncommonly well-conceived setting and buckets of high-energy action, Taylor’s debut tale of a thumb-sized devil hunter who comes this close to meeting her match belongs at the top of everyone’s fantasy must-read list.”
  • A copy of Dead to Me, the debut novel of Anton Strout. Signed by the author.

Anton Strout is, among other things, my mortal enemy. However, I’m willing to set aside any personal rancor I feel toward the man in order to accept his generous gift on behalf of Heifer International.

Bestselling author Charlaine Harris gives this review: “Following Simon’s adventures is like being the pinball in an especially antic game, but it’s well worth the wear and tear.”

  • An ARC of Fenzig’s Fortune by Jean Rabe. Signed by the Author.
Jean has donated both a signed ARC, and a signed hardcover to the cause. Publisher’s Weekly says that, “Readers of all ages will find simple pleasures in this traditional hobbit-inspired fantasy.”
  • A manuscript of Steven Savile’s new Stargate novel, Shadows, book one of The Iblis Trilogy. Signed by the author.

I can’t say enough good about Steven. When he heard about the fundraiser, he immediately went out and started beating the bushes for donations. He brought in the folks from Bad Moon Books. He tipped off Kevin Anderson and many others. Finally, he’s donated this lovely manuscript.

Here’s what Steven says:

“Shadows is the first book in the Iblis Trilogy, an SG-1 novel featuring the original team. What makes this manuscript unique is it includes all of the mistakes and material that MGM won’t approve – so there are a good 10,000 words different between it as a first draft and the finished book which is coming out at the end of January. The story itself pits the team against the Goa’uld, Iblis, and features the Mujina, an archetypal monster who can be all things to everyone, the hero and villain their heart most desperately desires.”

(That’s not my thumb this time, folks.
Judging by the grace and poise, I think it might be Felicia’s.)

When I heard from Felicia a couple days ago, I hurried downstairs to tell Sarah.

Me: Felicia Day just sent me an e-mail! She says she’d like to donate a signed copy of The Guild DVD and a Dr. Horrible poster signed by the cast.

Sarah: Well that must make you excited enough to pee.

Which, in fact, sums up my reaction quite nicely.

I made a blog post about The Guild a while back, singing its praises. Later, Felicia and I interviewed each other, each in our respective blogs.

What I’m getting at is that I thought she was cool even *before* Dr. Horrible came out and she worked a deal with X-box to sponsor season two of The Guild.

The Los Angeles Times praised The Guild as “perhaps the smartest (and definitely the funniest) webisodic series of the year.” This year, they’re putting out a new season that’s way more budgety.

If you haven’t heard about Dr. Horrible, then you obviously haven’t been reading my blog for very long. Maybe you have been living under a heavy, heavy rock. Or perhaps you hate everything that is lovely and good in the world.

How much do I love Dr. Horrible? I’ll let this picture from my Halloween party tell the story:

Yeah. The ladies were totally into my Dr. Horrible costume.

So… yeah. Dr. Horrible was bigger than Lennon, and the poster is pretty cool too. Signed by Felicia Day, Neil Patrick Harris, and Nathan Fillion. This prize is guaranteed to make you excited enough to pee.

That’s all she wrote, folks. Remember you have until the end of December 11th to get in on the action. Tell your friends….

Want to know how to win these and other fabulous prizes while making the world a better place? Check OVER HERE for the blog that describes it all.

Rock on, team geek.

pat

Also posted in a billion links, Felicia Day, Heifer International, Worldbuilders 2008 | By Pat39 Responses
Published: December 7, 2008

On Hollywood, Narnia, and the Nature of Stories

So the other night, I rented Prince Caspian.

The Chronicles of Narnia were my first chapter books when I was a kid. I can actually remember when my mom bought them for me. I was outside the Waldenbooks at East Town Mall. She came out of the store and she handed them to me. It was a big deal. I seem to remember her saying, “I think you’re ready for these.” But I don’t know if that is a true memory or not.

I do know that my mom was desperate to get me into reading chapter books. I just wasn’t interested. I liked picture books. When we went to the library, I would check out as many as they would let me, then I would take them home and read them all inside a day. Then I would pester her to make another trip to the library….

My mom chose well. I loved the Narnia books. It’s safe to say that they have a special place in my heart. It’s also safe to say that I might be overly sensitive when it comes to changes made in the story in the process of turning it into a movie.

That said, I liked the movie version of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Sure, I had some quibbles, and a few things irritated me. But as a whole, I enjoyed it.

But Prince Caspian? Sucked. Sucked to a degree that made me angry. Sucked to the degree that I actually stopped watching the movie.

This never happens. I’m a narratovore. Once I start a story, I finish it. I can count the number of books I’ve stopped halfway through on one hand. And I can only think of one other movie that I actually stopped watching partway through.

I gave it a fair shake. I watched 40 minutes. Then, exasperated, I pushed the button on the DVD remote that tells me how much more time is left in the movie. The readout said that I had another hour and a half to go. Too much. I was done.

Now I’m well aware that you can’t just take a book and use it as a screenplay for a movie. The change in medium necessitates changes in the way the story is told. You can do things in print that you can’t do on the screen, and visa versa.

But here’s the thing. The rules of storytelling don’t change between mediums. Story is story. It doesn’t matter if you’re singing it around a fire or painting it on a cave wall.

That means that no matter how you’re telling it, you need your story to possess certain qualities. You need tension. You need conflict. You need your audience to be emotionally involved. You need good characters and good interaction between those characters. You need verisimilitude, drama, humor….

Okay, you don’t need ALL of those. But you should have most of them. And some are absolutely essential.

You know what isn’t essential? Scenery. Pretty actors. CGI.

Don’t get me wrong. Those things can be great additions to a movie. But they are not the story itself. Nor are they a functional story-substitute. They are the fancy icing roses on the corners of the cake. They only work because the cake is there, underneath. You can’t sit down and eat a whole plateful of frosting roses. Well, you can if you’re four years old or mentally deficient. But twenty minutes and a pound of frosting later you’re vomiting pink foam all over the couch.

Why? Because story is story, and icing is icing. Why doesn’t Hollywood realize this?

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand how hard it is to tell a good story. There are a thousand things that can go wrong. I learned most of them firsthand by screwing up my own book for years and years until I finally got it right. I imagine it’s even harder to do when you’re part of a team. Editors, writers, directors, and producers all have their fingers in the pie. I imagine it’s a classic case of too many cooks in the kitchen.

But when you’re making a movie that costs a hundred million dollars, you think they would take care to get the story right despite all that. The story is the foundation of the movie. It’s the cornerstone. It’s the key.

Hold on. Two hundred million? They spent TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS on that?

I know where the money went, too. Icing. CGI. Scenery. They shot the movie in New Zealand, Slovenia, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

And the scenery was beautiful. The CGI was flawless. Fine. I understand wanting to have those things. But why isn’t story given the same attention to detail?

Let’s say they needed a centaur for the movie, and the CGI people worked for a couple of weeks and then came back with something that looked like it was made from binder twine, turds, and paper mache.

Would everyone just shrug and move on with the movie? No. Someone would say, “This sucks. You fail at your job. Go back and bring me a real-looking centaur.”

And so the CGI is great. The scenery is gorgeous. The actors are pretty. And the story is a mess. How does story so consistently slip through the cracks? How can they not understand how important it is?

It’s not like they were making it from whole cloth, either. They had the book as a roadmap. A story that worked well. A story with good tension, character interaction, and a layered series of smoothly functioning story arcs. Why did they make a point of changing things that worked?

Feh.

What really drove all of this home for me was what happened the very next night.

Sarah said, “I’ve got a movie that I want you to watch.”

Me: What is it?

Sarah: Harvey.

Me: [Sigh] The one where the guy has the imaginary friend that’s a rabbit? All sorts of people have tried to get me to watch that. It sounds dumb.

Sarah: It’s really good.

Obviously I’m not interested, but I can see that Sarah is excited. And she’s cute when she’s excited. er. Cuter. When she’s like that, saying no to her is like kicking a fluffy puppy.

Besides, as a whole, she has good taste in movies. She’s the one that got me to watch Fight Club and American Beauty.

So I watch it. This movie is more than fifty years old. Black and white. Probably shot on a sound stage. The sum total of their special effects probably amounted to a piece of string tied to a doorknob. On top of all that, it was fullscreen. Which I hate. HAAAATE.

And you know what? It was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I laughed. I cried. I want to watch it again. The best movie that I’ve seen in… in a long while.

If they made that movie nowadays, they would get ILM to make a ten million dollar CGI rabbit. Keanu Reaves would play Elwood P. Dowd. There would be a car chase. It would be filmed on location in Vancouver, Prague, and Akron. And it would suck suck suck. It would suck to the tune of two hundred million dollars because none of those things is in service to the story.

That’s all. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. And the next time you’re looking for a movie, you should check out Harvey.

Yes you, Hollywood. I’m talking to you.

pat

Also posted in concerning storytelling | By Pat69 Responses
Published: December 4, 2008

The Awesomeness of Subterranean Press

Okay folks. I know you’ve seen a lot of blogs full of donations for the Heifer Fundraiserlately. Don’t get jaded on me. This one is something new. Something ginchy.I’ve known the folks at Subterranean Press for a long while. They were the first publisher to ask if I’d like to contribute a story to an anthology. Bill Schafer actually contacted me two weeks after TNOTW hit the shelves. It was one of the first clues I had that I might have done something right in the book.

What’s more, I’m currently working with an illustrator on a not-for-children children’s book that will be published through through them. (Details on that will be forthcoming.)

Subterranean Press publishes gorgeous books. Beautiful paper. Beautiful bindings. Stuff by great authors. Stuff that’s out of print. Stuff by Neil Gaiman, Tim Powers, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury….

The last time I bought stuff off their website, I looked at my shopping cart and found myself thinking, “Next time I sell them a story, I should just negotiate my contract in store credit and cut out the middle man.”

So when Bill contacted me, saying he was willing to donate some books to my Heifer Fundraiser, I was understandably delighted. Thrilled, in fact.

Then he sent me the list. I was stunned. 120 books. Beautiful hardcovers. Many of them limited editions. Many of them sold out. Most of them signed.

All told, over 8,000 dollars worth of books.

Yeah. They’re awesome.

Subterranean Press has Donated

10 copiesof each of the following. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Call was the book that really convinced me Tim Powers was brilliant, and the two sequels are just as good. These are matched, limited-edition, numbered sets, signed by Tim Powers himself.

I have it on good authority that owning these books will give you the strength of ten men, cure any illness afflicting you, and grant you eternal youth.

If you don’t believe me, then how about trusting the Los Angeles Daily News when they say Last Call is “Riveting…lyrical and brutal…a thrilling tale of gambling, fate and fantastic adventure.”


 

 

This is a book of revived, never produced (except for a pilot to the series the book was to have become) teleplays by Robert A. Heinlein, mainly adapted from his stories. Paul Di Filippo, for SciFi Weekly says, “All these narratives are gripping and full of hooks and typically engaging Heinlein characters [….] The stories have proved themselves in print for half a century, and their virtues survive the transition to a different medium.”

 

Ursula K. Le Guin tells us, “Keep your eye on Kage Baker! You never know where she’s heading next, but its always worth going there. She’s an edgy, funny, complex, ambitious writer with the mysterious, true gift of story-telling.”

 

 

According to author Charles de Lint, “Blaylock allows us to see the mundane world through new eyes, to perceive the familiar as strange, and therefore exciting.”

 

 

An anthology of stories by Bruce Sterling, who, according to

Strange Horizons, “has done perhaps as much as the work of any other single author to define cyberpunk, steampunk, post-cyberpunk and indeed, the broader course of the genre’s development in the last three decades.” 

 

 

 

Years ago, I was at a party at Worldcon, desperately trying to and prove that I fit in with all these other writer types. After a while, I ended up in a conversation that included a bunch of aspiring writers (myself included) and Larry Niven. We were talking about all sorts of things. Writing, the portrayal of magic… general geeky writing talk. Good stuff.

I mentioned Bridge of Birds by Barry Hugart as being a gorgeous book. Nobody else in the group had read it… except Larry Niven, who agreed enthusiastically. Needless to say, I felt pretty cool….

Hugart’s books have been out-of-print for a long while. But they’re back, collected here. So now you can read them and feel cool too.

In a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly says, “Reading Hughart’s endearing historical fantasy trilogy, first published almost 20 years ago, is much like ‘wandering blindfolded through a myth devised by a maniac,’ in the words of Master Li, the greatest and most frequently intoxicated wise man in a colorful seventh century ‘China that never was.’ Their rollicking adventures pit them against everyone from murderers and thieves to emperors and gods. Numerous Chinese legends, filtered through Ox’s simple perspective, blend seamlessly into both lighthearted and heartrending.”

 

 

 

Publisher’s Weekly says, “With six-guns blazing and tentacles flailing, this nifty all-original anthology delivers impressively on the “pure storytelling” promise Lansdale (Flaming London) makes in his intro. The dozen authors manage to address serious issues while remaining true to their roots and the book’s theme.” 

 

 

Here’s what Publisher’s Weekly said in a starred review: “Lansdale’s The Nightrunners (1987), the centerpiece of this chilling collection, set new standards of graphic violence and is probably the best novel of its type between Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs… This upsetting look at the human capacity for evil breaks with crime novel conventions when a supernatural element enters the story in the form of the grotesque deity known as the God of All Things Sharp. Twenty years later, The Nightrunnersretains its ability to awe and to horrify. Six short stories that grew out of the novel, one previously unpublished, round out the volume.” 

 

 

This book should look familiar to some of you, as it’s similiar to the one I posted up myself in the original blog when I started the fundraiser. However, these books are much cooler, as they’re signed by ALL the authors.

Booklist said this about the anthology, “All the contributors share a gift for sharp-edged prose that keeps the reader pleasantly perturbed for hours.”

 

 

Joe Hill’s first novel won a lot of awards, including the Locus Award for best debut fantasy of 2007. Good on him.

His book was described by the Herald Tribune as “a wild, mesmerizing, perversely witty tale of horror [….] In a book much too smart to sound like the work of a neophyte, he builds character invitingly and plants an otherworldly surprise around every corner.”

 

Want to know how to win these books and other fabulous prizes while making the world a better place? Check OVER HEREfor the blog that describes it all.

 

Lastly,

some people have been asking me if I plan on continuing to match all the donations made. Some people have expressed concerns that I will end up homeless on the street, eating tuna out of a can with my fingers and talking to invisible people.First, let me reassure you that I will be continuting to match donations until December 11th. I can afford it for now, and honestly, if I’m going to be irrisponsible with my money, this is the way I want to go. This is my preferred flavor of stupidity. And besides, if I don’t do something like this, I’d just end up blowing it on something cool but stupid.

Second, don’t overestimate my current lifestyle. Anyone who has met me in person knows I pretty much look like a hobo anyway. I only own one pair of shoes, and when you come right down to it, there’s nothing wrong with eating tuna out of the can with your fingers. It saves you the trouble of washing a fork afterwards.

And I already talk to invisible people. I’m a writer. That’s pretty much my job.

So yeah. I’m still matching donations. Bring it on. I’d love to hit $40,000. Let’s show them what happens when high-minded geeks set their minds on making the world a better place.

Hugs and kisses,

pat

Also posted in cool things, Heifer International, Worldbuilders 2008 | By Pat21 Responses
Published: October 31, 2008

What should I do #12: Nation

I would like to take a moment of your time to talk to you about a book.

(The US cover for the book. It looks cooler in other places.)

I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett’s for years. He’s a truly magnificent writer. One of the best. This cannot be argued.

Still, I have to admit that I picked up this book with more than a little hesitation.

The problem was that I knew this book wasn’t going to be set in Discworld, so I was nervous. Also, I was a little disappointed, because I love Discworld. It’s like a place that I get to visit on vacation once or twice a year. I look forward to those visits, and because of that, I was ready to be let down by this non-Discworld story.

I shouldn’t have worried. This is quite possibly Pratchett’s best book yet. Reading it, I laughed aloud in public. Finishing it, I cried.

This is probably the best book that I’ve read in years. Maybe the best book I’ve read in forever. I’ve already ordered a half-dozen copies so I can give them away as gifts.

Buy it. Read it. Love it. This book is like a kiss from god.

pat

Posted in recommendations | By Pat34 Responses
Published: October 14, 2008

What should I do #11: Two Trilogies Better Than Mine.

Well, that’s a matter of opinion, I suppose. But one fact is indisputable, these two trilogies have something going for them that mine doesn’t. Both of them are already complete. That’s right, you can have all three books right now.

Both are by newish authors that you might not have run into yet. The first is Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series.

I feel a certain kinship with Joe, which partially stems from the fact that in April, both our books were nominated for the Compton Crook award. Then, in August, we were both denied our rightful positions as winners of the award. Or rather, I was denied my rightful position as winner, and Joe was denied taking runner-up by a narrow, narrow margin.

The books are good, really good. They pulled me in. Well-developed world. Unique, compelling characters. I like them so much that when I got to the end of the second book and found out the third book wasn’t going to be out in the US for another three months. I experienced a fit of rage, then a fit of depression, then I ate some lunch and had a bit of a lay down.

When I got up, I remembered that Joe and I share a publisher over in the UK. So, in my first ever attempt at using my newfound published-author powers, I e-mailed my editor over in England and begged them to send me the third book. I mean I *asked* them to. In a suave and sophisticated way.

I don’t believe in spoilers. So don’t I’m not going to give anything away. But I will say that the third book tied up the series quite nicely.

I will also say this. This isn’t some cookie-cutter fantasy. It’s refreshingly realistic, but also very gritty and dark. It might even be fair to call it grim. You have been warned.

The second trilogy I’m going to talk about is Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn. Some of you might recognize his name because I’ve mentioned him here before. Or you might know of him because Brandon is the author who’s been brought on board to finish Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series.

The Mistborn books are set in a fascinating world different from any fantasy I’ve run into before. He’s got a good grip on character and story, and his magic system is unlike anything I’ve ever run into before either. He makes it very solid and logical, while still leaving room for cleverness and mystery.

The third book of the trilogy: The Hero of Ages, comes out today. So you won’t be left hanging no matter how fast you read.

The truth is, Brandon’s books are so good that they’re starting to piss me off. I don’t mind that he’s a good writer. But he writes way, way faster than me. That makes me look like a chump.

Later all,

Pat

Posted in recommendations | By Pat56 Responses

  • RSS info

  • Visit Worldbuilders!

  • Our Store

    The Store

  • Previous Posts

  • Archives



  • Bookmark this Blog!

    (IE and Firefox users only - Safari users, click Command-D)