lazyartistslounge

Eat a Tornado Every Day

2010-04-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Tsunami on the Square is fast approaching and the workload is unbelievable. The hubster is finally beginning to understand festival founder Jay Ruby's motto, "Eat a tornado every day." 'Cause if you don't, the tornado eats you!

Me? I'm struggling through the minutiae of grant writing, working on a magazine promo article and trying to help the hubster maintain some semblance of sanity. Uh, yeah. Tornadoes. We're not in Kansas any more.

In Search of the Benjamins

2010-03-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

Spent most of the evening helping the hubster write a grant for Tsunami on the Square. Wowza, that's annoying, necessary work. Hey, the clowns, dancers, giant-head puppeteers, and fire dancers don't work for free! Not to mention the performers who double as instructors for the Circus Camp that Tsunami hosts. Putting on an all day performing arts festival costs a chunk o' change. Here's hoping (fingers crossed) we get this grant. It would help...not cover everything, but it would help.

*SIGH*

The Price of Laziness

2010-03-08T05:59:00.000-08:00

THIS BLOG MODERATES ALL COMMENTS - I'M TALKING TO YOU MR. AND MS. SPAMMER. So if you really want to waste my time and yours, then okay, keep posting crap in the comments. Because every spam - sorry, "direct marketing" - link, etc. that is left in the comments thread goes directly to moderation where it is deleted. So it never sees the light of cyberspace on this blog.

I'm just sayin'...

Coming out of the cocoon...

2010-02-26T14:54:00.001-08:00

Feeling almost alive again. Writing doesn't suck. Dogs getting along. A little less day job - YAY!

Oh, and Tsunami on the Square is just a few months away. A lot to be done, but it all feels totally do-able.

Mothman over here is courtesy of last year's Tsunami, a performer from ArcheDream out of Philly.

Say What?!

2010-02-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

This mural (located at the Prescott Public Library, Prescott, AZ) shows the importance of my local library throughout history (mad props to the Mural Mice for a fantastic job). But enough of that commie, socialist crap. Folks should PAY to use library resources, right? Say wha???

Yup, the Prescott City council is seriously considering charging Prescottonians for using the Public Library. That's right. The service our tax dollars already fund. 'Cause, y'know, in our continuing economic badness, those people are using it more. The City Council obviously thinks everyone should be at home, using their own computers & internet service & buying all those books themselves. And they are not kidding. Wankers.

More here.

2010-02-15T05:49:00.000-08:00

I've been going through a very long shitastic time with life in general and writing in particular. Hence the complete lack of postings here at Lazy Artist's Lounge, the abrupt hiatus of the podcast, and my total withdrawal from the public arena of all things writeriffic. The details of the why are nobody else's concern. All I want to say is that I make no apologies - it is what it is, and I'll be ready to climb back out when I'm ready.

I still love reading. I still love reading some writerly blogs - I just choose to do so as that awful creature, the "lurker." I still open the 'puter and attempt to string words together. But I'm not down with discussing any of that right now.

For those of you dumb enough to friend me on Facebook, I'm sure you've noticed a ridiculous amount of notifications about farms, zoos, and mafias. If you don't like it, please feel free to unfriend me on Facebook. Seriously. I won't be offended. I can't help it if the stupid games insist on posting notifications every 5 minutes. I'm also not going to stop playing/wasting time/making tiny moments of white noise in my life/etc. with the dumb ol' Facebook games just to make you happy. So deal with it or don't. Makes no difference to me.

On the bright side, a long and extended absence from this here blog may well have resulted in a bit of welcome anonymity at the ol' Lounge. This means I can once again have a little space to just chat w/o worrying about pissing anyone off or stepping on toes or being oh-so-careful about what I say and how I say it. That is wonderful tool. And I intend to use it.

Just Do It...

2008-11-04T03:42:00.001-08:00

Back to the Drawing Board...

2008-08-06T21:10:00.001-07:00

It's not that bad, but I gotta chunk o' work to do. I'm gonna need a new printer cartridge...like, now! And dammit, those recycled ones always screw up my ancient printer. Wah!

Tick freakin' Tock

2008-07-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Finally finished the revisions on the first draft and am now waiting to hear back from the readers so I can do another round o' revisions and a polish before starting the query-go-round. I really, really, REALLY hate waiting.

Especially since the other stuff I could be doing is kind of a no-go at the mo' - external hard drive crashed, so until I get the replacement later today & get everything transferred, I can't do the latest podcast edits. Tried to look at the second book (got 20k done on the first draft), but the narrative voice is so different that it's pointless to try and make the shift until I'm done with book one.

Did I mention how much I hate waiting? Guess it's time to catch up on all that housework I've neglected in the process. Don't that sound like fun...

Donna Moore Interview

2008-06-01T12:29:00.001-07:00

THE BLOODY SCOTS, PART 2

Suspect: Donna Moore
Known Aliases: Kafka, Queen of Shoes!
Occupation: Writer, Reader, Some Scary Day Job Involving Financial Stuff
Last Known Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Join us this week as Donna talks about her Lefty Award winning P.I. spoof, Go to Helena Handbasket, her love of reading, and her Alaskan school adventures. She also reveals the real purpose of Scotland's super sweet soda (Irn Bru), her thoughts on the Loch Ness Monster, and why Johnny Depp could play all the male characters in the movie version of Go to Helena Handbasket.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up next: Scottish writist and Bearded Wonderboy, Stuart MacBride.

Slackeriffic

2008-05-29T19:14:00.001-07:00

Sorry - gone a little cross-eyed and headachy with the revisions. God, is no part of this process easy?!

Oh, well. Nothing a little squirrel fight can't fix...

Happy Birthday, Mr. Hammett

2008-05-27T13:09:00.001-07:00

The hubster just called to tell me it was a good day to be writing crime fiction. Humnawha?

Turns out it's Dashiell Hammett's b-day (as well as Tony Hillerman's). Now I know there are plenty of folks who will argue endlessly over who's the big daddy of hard-boiled crime writing, but Hammett's always been king in my book. I mean, please. The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, Red Harvest, The Thin Man. Mr. Hammett had it goin' on.

I think the hubster's right...it's a great day to be writing crime fiction. An even better one to break out one of Hammett's short story anthos and remind myself of what really great writing looks like!

Russel D. McLean Interview

2008-05-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Russel D. McLean
Known Aliases: Badgerboy, Russ-poo, Crimey Crimerson
Occupation(s): Writer, bookseller, reviewer, columnist
Last Known Location: Dundee, Scotland

Listen in as Russel spills about Crime Scene Scotland (the original and Crime Scene Scotland Review), his love of hand-selling books and his upcoming debut novel, THE GOOD SON (coming this Fall from Five Leaves). He also gives practical sporran advice for the novice kilt-wearer, shares the best book-as-weapon story I've ever heard, and explores the perils of gastronomical upset at a mystery convention.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Scottish author and avid reader, Donna Moore.

Steven Torres Interview

2008-05-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Suspect:Steven Torres
Occupation: Writer, English professor
Known Aliases: None
Last Known Location: Ellington, CT

Listen in as Steven talks about his Precinct Puerto Rico series (see, Steven...I got it right!) and his latest effort, The Concrete Maze. He shares some personal experiences that inform his writing, discusses why war is a recurring theme in his work and gives a very practical reason for wanting to spend a day with Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Scottish author (and all 'round crime fic dude) Russel McLean

I Hate Revisions

2008-05-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Digging around for squirrel pics is much, much more fun...

Okay, break time over. Back to "green...no, blue!" and "crap...I have to change that name" and "what the hell was I thinking?!"

Steve Mosby Interview

2008-05-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Steve Mosby
Known Aliases: The Notorious B.O.M. (Boring Old Me)
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Somewhere in Leeds (that's in the U.K. for you non-Brits)

Listen in as Steve talks about his take on serial killers in The 50/50 Killer, the influence of science fiction on his writing, and his thoughts about research. Steve also reveals what's on his desk, what he was like in high school & what fictional character he'd like to hang out with for a day.

Steve's latest book, Cry for Help, is available for pre-order (release date is May 29, 2008).

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up next: author Steven Torres.

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-05-09T09:56:00.001-07:00

Seems like when I'm firmly entrenched in my 'god, people suck' attitude, something comes along to remind me that there's good stuff going on, too.

I got up early today to run some errands. I stopped to get some gas and when I went inside to pay (ouchie!), I heard one of the coolest Random Acts of Kindness stories ever. The cashier rang me up and then said, "The best thing just happened to me." She then told me that she's finishing up her degree to be a para-legal and has been completely stressed about money. This morning, a stranger came into the store and gave her $200, saying that it was "a blessing from God" and that he had to do it. She said she'd woken up wondering how she was gonna make it and a few hours later a complete stranger made her load a little lighter. I don't think she'll be a gas station/convenience store cashier much longer (and not because of the unexpected windfall). She's got 3 job interviews set up in the Phoenix area as a para-legal. I wish her the best - she's always been one of the friendlier faces at the store.

A lot of times I get stuck in the general suckiness of life. Even the good stuff seems like a chore - I'm wading through novel revisions with much gnashing of the teeth at the mo' - and I forget that there are peeps who are struggling with tougher stuff. I also forget that there are some really fab unexpected goodnesses (yeah, okay not really a word...work with me here). I'm just glad of the reminder.

David Morrell Interview

2008-05-06T12:01:00.001-07:00

Suspect: David Morrell
Known Aliases: Rambo's Daddy
Occupation: Writer
Last Known Location: Santa Fe, NM

Listen in as David talks about his most famous creation, John Rambo, the secrets of his career longevity, and his role in the International Thriller Writers (ITW) organization. He also reveals what writer he'd most like to spend an afternoon with, what crime fiction cliche needs to be retired and talks a bit about his first holiday book, The Spy Who Came for Christmas.

Up Next: British crime writer Steve Mosby.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Forgotten Books Friday

2008-04-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

When Patti Abbott asked me to participate in her Forgotten Books Friday, I jumped on it. The general idea is to talk about a book that's a 'near classic' that may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Pretty cool, huh? I think so, too. So...here goes!

Ever heard of Sally's in the Alley by Norbert Davis? Unless you're a massive fan of deep pulp/hard-boiled crime fiction, probably not. And that's too bad, 'cause ol' Norbert is one of the few writers who managed to pull off humor and hard-boiled. When I say humor, I'm not talking black humor (which I also dig). Nope, I'm talking breezy, laugh-out-loud, almost screwball humor.

The story centers around Doan, a P.I. ne'er-do-well, and Carstairs, a Great Dane the size of a Shetland pony. Carstairs is both the brains and the brawn of the duo. I suspect that Doan exists mainly to keep our canine hero in steaks and tea biscuits. Set in WWII, the adventure starts off in Hollywood and follows the detecting duo as they travel to the tiny town of Heliotrope in the Mojave Desert. Why, you ask? (Okay, you didn't, but pretend you did anyway). Because the gov'ment wants Doan to pretend to be a Japanese spy in search of a mineral mine. Huh? Yep, that's right. See, there's a guy who knows where the mine is, but he flippin' hates the government & so fake spyness ensues. The plot gets more twisty and complicated from there, & the bodies pile up at an alarming rate, but it is absolutely always fun. So, y'know, check it out! The fab folks over at Rue Morgue Press were awesome enough to reissue the book a few years back, so the current paperback version is both available and affordable.

To keep the Forgotten Books Friday ball rollin', I'm officially tagging Daniel Hatadi for next week's continuing adventures. And don't let him pull his 'I'm a rebel, I ain't gonna tag nobody' routine. This book thang is too good to let die!

Been Gone/Coming Back

2008-04-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I've been gone a long time. It's been a rough couple of months and I'm just starting to want to deal with, y'know, the larger world. I won't go into all the varied crap that's happened - everybody's got their own version of the poop parade that they've had to march in. I will say that the whole shebang was capped off with finally finishing the first draft of SPUN, followed two days later by holding ZuZu (aka The Wolfie Princess) as the vet put her to sleep and the hubster and I cried buckets o' salty sadness. We had Zuzu for over 10 years. We thought she'd be with us a lot longer. I miss her.

So the bubbly I bought for finishing the draft still sits in the 'fridge. I haven't been exactly in the celebrating mood. But hey, maybe I'll feel like popping the cork once the edits are done and I've been able to bring myself to get another dog ( Zelda - aka The Little Black Bitch - is grieving & has never been w/o a partner in crime). I don't think I've ever felt so ambivalent about completing a project in my life.

Charles Ardai Interview

2008-04-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Charles Ardai

Known aliases: Richard Aleas, Charles Gordon Lemuel Cork, and a bunch of other ones I don't know about...watch him - he's shifty!

Occupation: Author, Editor for Hard Case Crime

Last known location: New York City, NY

In this week's show, Charles talks about his two novels (Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence, why Las Vegas can be a cool place to write, and why "Schizophrenia Can Be Fun" may be the title of his autobiography. He also shares his pick(s) for who he'd like to write the score for Little Girl Lost - The Musical, and why he doesn't get sick of reading 'n writing.

Up next: Big Daddy of the modern Action novel, David Morrell.

Christa Faust Interview

2008-02-04T20:57:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Christa Faust
Known aliases: Faust Fatale
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Los Angeles, CA

In this week's show, Christa Faust talks about her latest book, Money Shot, her thoughts on why both men and women will dig the novel, and the ultimate silliness of the cozy vs. hard-boiled/noir divide. She also explains why writing tie-in novelizations (Snakes on a Plane) is like working in a cheese doodle factory, talks about why she's a "now girl" and what is likely to appear as the epitaph on her tombstone.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Blahs 'n Rahs

2008-01-31T20:14:00.000-08:00

Y'know, I realized that I haven't had a single post that wasn't just a re-post of my podcast in...uh...a really long time. Why? The usual. Busy, cranky, not a damned thing of interest to say. And not much has changed.

But there are some cool things happening. Like Daniel Hatadi, super-fab founder and proprietor of Crimespace just won the Spinetingler magazine award for "Special Services to the Industry." How nifty is that?! Pretty damn nifty!

And I got to see the one (yes, the one and only) person I still talk to from high school a few weeks ago. That was cool, except for the sickness part. And I got to meet Hank. Also very cool (and he fixed my shower!!!). So general goodness there.

Not much else new. Still writing at a freakin' snail's pace, but the first draft is so close to being finished I can see the champagne at the finish line (hear that dear hubster? I want bubbly!). So that's all I'm gonna say about that. I hate talking about the writing stuff - well, my writing stuff. I love talking to other peeps about their work! Weirdly enough, it always motivates me to keep at it.

Reading have been pretty good - had a great run at Christmas, then a blah zone, then some more really great reads (2 in a row!). Maybe I'll talk more about that later. In the meantime, I've got sound edits to finish up and writing to do.

Hope ya'll are weathering the winter better 'n me!

Awesome photo by Matthew Law

Brett Battles Interview

2008-01-22T19:17:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Brett Battles
Known aliases: The Brett-in-ator (okay, I made that up)
Occupation: Thriller writer, entertainment industry computer graphics something-or-other
Last known location: Los Angeles, CA

Listen in as Brett talks about the crazy ride to publishing his first novel, The Cleaner and his latest projects - the Killer Year anthology and the forthcoming second book in the Jonathan Quinn series, The Deceived. A self-avowed seat-of-the-pantser, Brett explains his writing process and reveals the one item no self-respecting international spy will leave home without.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Zoë Sharp Interview

2008-01-21T14:13:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Zoë Sharp
Known Aliases: Ummm...can't think of any
Occupation: Thriller writer, Freelance photographer, world traveler, motorcycle maven
Last Known Location: Lake District, England

Listen in as Zoë talks about her Charlie Fox series, her foray into noir with her short story in the anthologyA Hell of a Woman. She also spills about where the best place to go for a motocycle ride in England is and explains why she has spent shells dug out of a piece of body armor on her desk.

If you want to hear more from Zoë, check out her bi-monthly blog posts over at Murderati.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Ken Bruen Interview

2008-01-07T19:16:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Ken Bruen
Known Aliases: Benign Thug, the Pope of Galway
Occupation: Reigning King of Irish noir/hard-boiled crime fiction (that's a writer to you...)
Last Known Location: Galway, Ireland

Listen in as Ken talks about his Jack Taylor series (and how Inspector Brant is threatening to take over), the swans in Galway, and some of his more, uh, colorful book events. He also reveals (and answers) the one question he hasn't been asked that he really wants to answer - namely, what he really thinks of the Irish police.

*Original photo by Mary Regan of NYC Photo (I confess that I cropped it...sorry, Mary and Lawrence Block!)

Next week's suspect: British author, Zoë Sharp.

To hear Ken's interview, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Kris Neri Interview

2008-01-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Kris Neri
Known Aliases: Hmm, can't think of a single one!
Occupation: Author, Writing Instructor, Independent Bookstore Owner
Last Known Location: Sedona, Arizona

Listen in as Kris talks about the juggling act of writing, teaching and running The Well Red Coyote. She also talks about some of her fave reads of the year, the mysteries of where to shelve books, and what fictional character she'd like to take on a hike in the red rocks of Sedona.

Click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Ruth & Jon Jordan Interview

2007-12-17T15:47:00.000-08:00

Suspect(s): Ruth and Jon Jordan
Known Aliases: #1 Crime Fic Fans, Mr. & Mrs. "Killer" Crimespree (okay, I totally made those up...get over it)
Occupation: Bouchercon Fanatics, Crimespree Magazine owners, Massive Readers
Last known location: Milwaukee, WI

In this week's show, Ruth and Jon spill about their love affair with B'Con (including next year's con in Baltimore), Crimespree Magazine, and their fave reads of 2007. Listen in as they tell all about what will make them abandon a book, what makes Milwaukee a nifty town to live in and their weapons of choice for editing.

* To listen online, use the new player in the sidebar!

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

2007-12-09T22:53:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Maddy Van Hertbruggen
Known Aliases: Her Royal Maddness, The Maddinator
Occupation: Mystery addict - avid reader, owner/co-founder of 4MA list serve, book reviewer (plus one of those day job things to feed the addiction)
Location: Somewhere Deep in the Heart of Texas

This week we talk with hard-core mystery addict, Maddy Van Hertbruggen. Listen in as we chat about the readers list serve (4MA or For Mystery Addicts) that she started, some of her fave reads of the year, and her thoughts on how to deal with those pesky Texas Jackalopes.

You can also check out some of her book reviews over at the fab Reviewing the Evidence.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Seth Harwood Interview

2007-11-26T19:38:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Seth Harwood
Age: Yeah, okay, I dunno
Occupation: Writer, Podcaster, Creative Writing college prof.
Last known location: Bezerkley, er, Berkley, CA

In this week's episode, Seth talks about how his Jack Palms series, how he got into podcasting his novels and his upcoming print release of Jack Wakes Up. We find out what's on Seth's TBR list, who he'd like to see star in a Jack Palms movie, and what he would do if he could spend a day with his protagonist.

Visit his website to find out more about how to make every Sunday a Jack Palms Sunday. You can also check out the start of his second book in the newest issue of Thrilling Detective.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Mark Billingham Interview

2007-11-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Mark Billingham
Age: Hmm?
Occupation: Author, stand-up comic, all 'round troublemaker
Last known location: Lurking in London

In this episode, Mark talks about his Tom Thorne police procedurals, his upcoming stand-alone novel, IN THE DARK, and the foreword he wrote for the fab anthology, Expletive Deleted. He also joins in the debate about genre vs. literary novels and how much sex/violence/cussin' is too much. Find out what's on Mark's iPod, the perks of mentioning favorite restaurants in your novels and what celebrities are reading his books.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Megan Abbott Interview

2007-11-12T14:10:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Megan Abbott
Age: Haven't a clue, didn't ask
Occupation: Author, editor, college prof.
Last known location: New York City

Listen in this week as Megan talks about the slippery definition of noir, the women of noir (both those who write/wrote it and the characters in it), and the new anthology A Hell of a Woman: An Anthology of Female Noir. We also discuss Queenpin's Broadway musical potential and the best way to get those pesky bloodstains out of your favorite cocktail dress.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Dental Hell

2007-11-06T20:51:00.001-08:00

It's been almost three years since my last visit to the dentist and it took constant pain and a (separate) broken tooth to get me to go back. I have dental fear. Nay, dental terror. My dentist is better than average, but for a chickie with bad teeth, a nasty gag reflex and some weird dental pain thing (I can always feel it when my teeth are worked on - last time I got pumped as full of novocaine as is possible and ended up getting some other painkiller shot directly into the nerve that killed the pain but made my heart race like a hummingbird on crack...not pretty, not fun, not something to encourage regular dental checkups). Essentially, I've got about 3k worth of work that needs doing - and that's after my dental insurance picks up their share. Yup, the super-duper oh-my-god deep cleaning comes in at a thousand bucks (200 big 'uns per "quadrant"), two crowns and a couple of fillings. Yippee. On the plus side, I'm getting sedated *cue Ramones* for the two visits it'll take to get all this shit done. My dentist swears that most people don't remember anything at all and that those who do tend to remember just bits and pieces. Count me in. God. What I wouldn't give to be one of those lucky bitches with the strong healthy teeth genes.

NaNo is making me crazy. On the plus side, I've almost been keeping up with the ridiculous pace - I think I'm only about 750 words off where I should be tonight. That's mainly due to the fact that I talked the hubster into doing NaNo with me. We do sprints to see who can get 500 words done first. Loser has to do stupid stuff like buy the coffee, run to the grocery store, etc. He started 2 days late and is already caught up. Bastard. I don't feel too bad, though. I've been working on two projects at once and have technically written more than him, though not for NaNo. Ah, I'm tired and don't know how to say this coherently. Whatever, I'm running hard, not sleeping near enough, a little freaked by the dentist thing that I need to schedule for next week, but am holding it together with lots of coffee and chocolate. Thus endeth the Angie update.

Duane Swierczynski Interview

2007-11-04T16:27:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Duane Swierczynski
Age: Young 'un
Occupation: Writer, Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia City Paper
Last know location: The mean streets of Philadelphia, PA

In this week's episode, we talk with Duane about Blondes, redheads, comics, historical mysteries, and journalism. Listen in as we explore Duane's shocking revelations about his flute playing nerd years and his recent first-hand (er, nose) experience with feminine hygiene products.

*Warning: you're gonna need running shoes for your ears! This dude talks at warp speed.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Put on the Coffee...

2007-10-31T23:51:00.000-07:00

Not that I've been doing much in the way of blogging beyond the podcasts anyway, but I guarantee I'll be doing even less for the next month or so. Why? Um, 'cause it's writing time. I've done a dumb thing and decided to NaNo again this year. Yeah, that's right. After failing miserably last year, I'm doing it again. And to add to the weirdness, I'm working on 2 projects simultaneously. I'm tired of messing around. I need to get off my ass and finish a draft and flesh out the second book idea. So other than posting podcasts and checking email, I'm unplugging from the internet this month. God help me. A whole month with minimal web time. I feel the shakes coming on already. So wish me luck and I'll see ya in December.

Anne Frasier Interview

2007-10-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Anne Frasier
Age: I should really just skip this one, shouldn't I?
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Minneapolis, MN

In this week's episode, we talk with Anne about PALE IMMORTAL and the further Tuonela, WI adventures in her upcoming book, GARDEN OF DARKNESS. Listen in to find out what she would do if faced with a (possible) real-life vampire, what her fav. classic horror movie is, and what decidedly unscary things are found on her desk.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

James Oswald Interview

2007-10-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

Suspect: James Oswald
Age: Doesn't really matter, does it?
Occupation: Writer, animal poopologist
Last known location: Somewhere unpronounceable in Wales...

This week we talk with author James Oswald, who lives in Wales, but is a Scotsman and don't even think about calling him Welsh or he'll get a wee bit upset with you. Listen in as James talks about his supernatural/police procedural Debut Dagger nominated novel, NATURAL CAUSES, his tragic lack of Halloween experience, and the potential pitfalls of mixing a shepherdess costume with a beard.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription). For those of you who had subscribed via the old feed...well, you're gonna have to subscribe again to this feed instead. Happy listening!

Kat Richardson Interview

2007-10-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Kat Richardson
Age: Dammit, that's personal!
Occupation: Author of GREYWALKER series
Last known location: Seattle, WA

In this week's episode, Kat talks about her gritty paranormal P.I. books, who she'd pick to play the lead in GREYWALKER: THE MUSICAL, and what sends her Creep-O-Meter into the red zone.

For more info on Kat and her books, visit her website at www.katrichardson.com

(Charlie Huston's interview is also available through this player.)

Switching Podcast Hosts

2007-10-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

Why? Because Podomatic had a major melt-down last week, lost all my data and my stuff still hasn't reappeared. I don't have the time or energy to fool around with that any more, so the In for Questioning podcast has moved. Now you can find it over here at LibSyn.

I'm not thrilled - the new host costs money (Podomatic had a decent free service that I was using - glad I hadn't upgraded yet), and I can't figure out how to get the LibSyn podcast player to load onto blogger without it looking totally nasty. There are weird bits of code floating around, though the player will actually work.

I've uploaded Charlie Huston's show, am working on Monday's interview & will gradually replace the other 4 lost shows (hey, I've got limited storage at the new host). So...that's the latest. Off to finish edits and do other stuff like make dinner and read and go over notes. Wish I wasn't such a techno-ninny...

Charlie Huston Interview

2007-10-08T21:27:00.001-07:00

Suspect: Charlie Huston
Age: Dunno
Occupation: Writerly dude
Last known location: Another lost soul in La-La Land, CA

In this week's episode, I talk with Charlie about his Joe Pitt books, the benefits of having an undead protagonist, and his status on the Most Wanted lists of PETA and Cozy Mystery Fans.

For more about Charlie and his work, visit his website

Check out his Moon Knight work here

Oh, and it WAS Kabuki. Here's the linky to the writer's website.

Stephen Blackmoore Interview - and an unrelated mini rant

2007-10-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Mini rant first...

I went to my local B&N over the weekend to pick up a few more books for my already structurally unsound TBR tower. I love my B&N. No, really, I do. The closest good indie bookstore is all the way in Sedona & I can't just jump in the car & go when I absolutely, positively MUST have a book RIGHT NOW. So what's the problem? Well, after purchasing said books, I thought I'd get a cup of coffee and read for a bit in the cafe. The hubster was at home, busy growling over Coyote Radio Theater scripts for our Day of the Dead show, so it was actually more peaceful in the freakin' mall. So I settled in and got a few chapters in, digging the quiet and the caffeine.

Until it happened.

"Silent Night."

That's right.

The dreaded Christmas music invasion has begun.

In September.

Need I say more?

Suspect: Stephen Blackmoore
Age: Unknown - hey, not all the undead remember their death-days!
Occupation: Avid reader, writer, and some weird computer-related thing called "a day job."
Last known location: Lost somewhere in La-La Land, CA

In this week's episode, I grill Stephen about the perils of mixing horror and crime, the general squickiness of undead sex, and the tastiness (or lack thereof) of candy corn and wax lips.

Visit Stephen's R-rated blog (it's got fab linkage to his short stories, too) here

Allan Guthrie Podcast is Up!

2007-09-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Allan Guthrie
Age: Um...what was the question?
Occupation: Writer, editor, lit. agent extraordinaire
Last known location: The corner of Trouble and Pearce, Edinburgh, Scotland

In this week's episode, we pitch hard questions at HARD MAN author, Allan Guthrie. Listen in to find out his thoughts on men in kilts, his baseball bat of choice, and more than you ever wanted to know about meat carrots and vegetarian haggis.

Visit Allan Guthrie's website at:
www.allanguthrie.co.uk/

Woot!

2007-09-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Sandra Ruttan has some great news today - she's got a 2 book deal with Dorchester! Yay, Sandra! The first book is due out next May and I can't wait!

Cornelia Read Interview

2007-09-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

The In for Questioning podcast is off to a great start. Cornelia Read is in the hot seat for this week's show. Check it out to hear all the gory details...

Visit In for Questioning to listen to this week's show!

Suspect: Cornelia Read
Age: Where are your manners?!
Occupation: Author, raconteur
Last know location: San Francisco Bay area

In this week's episode, we drag Edgar-nominated author Cornelia Read in for questioning. We discuss Cornelia's books, A FIELD OF DARKNESS (nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Author), and her up-coming book, THE CRAZY SCHOOL. You won't want to miss Cornelia describing how to turn an innocent laundry basket into a murder weapon, her version of a ferret Rapture, or her verdict on the sexiness of patchouli.

Join us next week when we haul Scottish author, editor and literary agent, Allan Guthrie, in for questioning...

Type, Monkey, Type!

2007-09-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy getting the new podcast up and running, that the writing has been back-burnered for longer than I like. Well, today I have no excuse. I'm stuck in a hotel room in Tucson with a few good books and a laptop w/o GarageBand - no way to get lost in sound editing until tomorrow afternoon! And that's a very, very good thing.

Been reading some super cool books lately, and I'm barrelling through Charlie Huston's latest, The Shotgun Rule. I'm loving it for a number of reason, but mostly just because Huston is just a damn fine writer. When I'm taking a break from my own work, books like this keep me motivated to get back to it. Sets up a weird tension at times, but mostly I just think it rocks.

Oh, and David Morrell is doing a workshop thing in Prescott this Saturday, so I've got that to look forward to. I'm keeping fingers crossed that it'll be fun and that I'll walk out with at least a few extra ideas or tools to add to the ol' writer's trick box.

Until then, this monkey's gotta get back to typing...

In For Questioning

2007-09-08T21:17:00.001-07:00

Today marks the official launch of "In for Questioning," a weekly podcast geared toward Crime Fiction - writers, readers, and various other criminally-minded types. I drag 'em in, ask the (sorta) tough questions and toss 'em back out again. So check out this week's show and see whatcha think! Questions or comments? Well, that's what the comments section is for, right? Or drop me an email at inforquestioning@gmail.com.

Our first victim:

Suspect: Daniel Hatadi
Age: Old enough to know better
Occupation: Crime fiction writer, reader, founder of Crimespace, erstwhile musician and all 'round trouble-maker
Last known location: Sydney, Australia

In this week's episode, we haul Daniel Hatadi in for questioning. Listen in as I ask him about Crimespace, his "left under the bed" first novel, and his unnatural attraction to a dead rubber chicken. We also find out how Daniel would bump off Prof. Plum, and what goes next to the shrimp on his barbie.

Join us next week when we haul Edgar-nominated author, Cornelia Read, in for questioning...

Random Update

2007-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are interested, we think we've figured out the 60 cycle hum situation with our Low Power AM station. The fab radio engineer took some time to look over everything, decided we needed a new power supply and suggested changing frequencies. Fortunately we already had the crystal for 1670, so he got it all hooked up, made some tweaks and we are now hum free! Yay! While we get our shit together, we're broadcasting from our Mackie mixer from The Raven Cafe. Very, very cool

I'm busy quitting smoking (my inner bitch is more outer than inner at the moment, but that's to be expected), working on the novel (difficult since I have an extremely short attention span and an even shorter fuse due to nicotine withdrawal), and am working on getting another writing related project off the ground. I'll be talking more about that as it gets closer to being ready for public consumption.

In the meantime, I've got some things to learn, pages to write, and will be taking a short break-a-rooti right after the Labor Day holiday thang. So, y'know, take care, have fun & happy writing!

Slightly Less Boring...Much More Strange

2007-08-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

The hubster has a radio show on a local radio station (KJZA) called Prescott Arts Beat. Big deal, right? Well, okay. Thing is, his interview for last week fell through and since he was busy running all over the state of AZ for his day job, he wasn't able to get another guest lined up. When in doubt, rope your spouse into doing the show.

I feel a little dumb, but he asked me to come on the show. I said, "And talk about what?" Well, he wanted to talk about what it was like to do the newbie/wannabe crime novelist thingie. And I did. Bizarre? Yes. Uncomfortable? A little. But it was also kinda fun and we talked about stuff I usually just think about or chat about to other writerly folk.

Anyway, if you're interested in hearing me blab about crime fiction, sub-genres, what's hot, and the general banality of writing, you can hear the interview as a podcast. Here are the linky-links.

Part One, where I blather on about outliners vs. pantsers and other writerly nonsense.

Part Two, where I try (rather pitifully) to explain what a cozy is & talk a little about noir and paranormal crime fiction.

Part Four, where I answer Andrew's Five Big Questions and give him crap about needing an editor to cut down on the "boring bits" of his intro patter. FYI, there is no part three, 'cause that's the calendar section of local arts events & he doesn't include that in the podcasts.

So...if you wanna, it's there. Oh, and don't freak out. He used an old "Angie has bright pink hair" picture of me and I look appropriately silly/vaguely scary.

Zzzzzzz..Huh? Wha?!

2007-08-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

My life is currently redlining the boring-o-meter. Ish. Typing a lot. Deleting and rewriting. Staring off into space. Washing dishes. Typing. Reading (3 books going at present). Glaring at the ring in the bathtub, unwilling to commit to actual scrubbing just yet. Wondering how long I can hold out before I absolutelypositively MUST do laundry again. Ho and hum.

On the other hand, it could be a hell of a lot worse. Y'know...stock market fall-down-go-boom (I'm too poor to worry about that, thank god), hurricanes, flooding, etc., etc. So I'll settle for a little blah.

Did get a chance to see Stardust over the weekend. It was really, really good all the way up until the lame ass last few lines of the movie. The hubster and I literally looked at each other and said "why the hell did they do that?" It wasn't a deal breaker, though. So if you like movies with action, adventure, romance, comedy and yes, evil witches and a unicorn, then check it out. It's worth the price of admission.

Hee Hee

2007-08-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Well,this story amused the hell out of me. Seems like even world-wide bestselling authors have trouble with drive-by book signings. I've read blog entries where newbie authors have been viewed with suspicion (or worse) when they walk into bookstores and start signing stock. Why a newbie wouldn't talk to the manager first escapes me, but it happens. Of course, if I were Stephen King, I probably wouldn't think twice, either!

Yay, Pulp!

2007-08-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

My hubby loves me...he really, really does! While he was out of town last week I mentioned that I'd started on a Louise Brooks biography (it's gi-normous). We talked about some of the funnier bits like when Charlie Chaplin allegedly painted his penis red with iodine (he was under the impression iodine would protect him from STDs) during a weekend of general debauchery.

Anyway, that's not why I know the hubster loves me. No, the reason I know is that when he came home, he brought me a pressie, Songs of Innocence. I love it - the writing is really top-notch and the cover art is appropriately pulpy. Still, I had to ask him what made him think of it. His response? "When you told me you were reading that Louise Brooks bio, I knew you were running low on books. I've had that bio for years and you've never even opened it!" Well, he's right. I'm not abandoning the bio (it's really fascinating & Pandora's Box is perhaps the finest silent movie ever made), but I am totally digging having a new pulp novel to zip through. Yay, pulp & woohoo for fab hubsters!

Been Gone & The Meme Thang

2007-08-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Been gone for quite a while. Sorry and all that. All I can say in my defense is that a)life stuff has been extra nutty (nothing truly horrendous, just a lot of it) and b)I haven't really had much to say about nothin'.

The photo pretty much sums up the weirdness that's been going on. I was walking through the living room and heard a strange popping, crackling sound - almost like pockets of sap exploding in a wood fire. I go to the door and open it. Nope, no fire, no hail, just the glass in my poor door slowly and methodically shattering. All I can think is that the wood warped (we've had a hellaciously good monsoon season this year) and put enough pressure on the glass to crack it. Our repairman was on vacation, so it was almost two weeks before we could get it fixed. Sorry, I'm not a sissy, but I don't think I could have taken the door off the hinges and dragged it down to get it replaced. Besides, I'm not all that damn good at DIY involving shattered glass.

Over the past 6 weeks the hubster's car over-heated on the way to Cottonwood (I had to go pick him up), been in an auto accident (not his fault & no one got hurt), had a tire blow-out on the highway just outside of Phoenix (this was just yesterday), gotten a screw puncture in the replacement tire (today), and spent an insane amount of time out of town for work shit (ongoing). I had to call the plumber for the kitchen sink and damn near had a flood a few weeks later when (the night before the 4th of July) the water hose to the ice maker developed a pin-hole leak & the connection to the water pipe in the wall went ka-blooey. Fortunately, our neighbor's brother was visiting & he's a plumber. That one got fixed for the price of a 12-pack of beer. The radio transmitter is up, but has a 60 cycle hum that we haven't been able to locate because of aforementioned monsoons - you really wanna be up on a roof clutching a metal rod when there's lightening? Me neither. A radio engineer (friend of a friend) is coming over for brunch & will hopefully help resolve that issue Saturday.

So, y'know, nothing horrible, but a hell of a lot of it. It must end, and it must end soon. So sayeth Angie, and it damn well better be true.

Writing went on the backburner, but has come firmly back into the foreground. It's going well, though not on my original timetable. Whatever, it's working and you'll hear no complaints from me on this front. So...moving on (extremely late) to the meme tag. Forgive me if my responses are a little on the cranky side. Cranky or no, they're more or less true - even if my glass has recently been more like the first pic than the second, much prettier and poetic one.

When the ubiquitous Granny J tags you, ya gotta give it up and do the meme thing. I guess this particular "Glass" meme (and no, I'm not talkin' street slang for meth) was started by a blogger named "Starbucker" with this post. I've been stuck, oddly enough, in literal-mind-mode, so this should be...in'erestin'.

1. How full is your glass?

Um, what? Okay, okay. I'll play the metaphor game. My glass is full, even though I can't always get the stuff out of it I'm looking for. If you'd asked me this philosophical-ish question when I was younger, you'd have gotten the snippy answer that I had "half a glass of water - not half full or half empty, but simply half." I had some notion that I was neither an optimist nor a pessimist, but a realist. My concept of realism and reality has shifted, and perhaps mellowed a bit over the years. The frustration of trying to get at the stuff in/behind/on the other side of the glass has not.

2. What kind of glass is it?

A metaphorical one, dammit.

3. What's in the glass?

Y'know, stuff. Mostly writing stuff, sometimes images, sometimes ideas or simply phrases.

4. Reason's for 1, 2 & 3.

Um...'cause I said so.

If anyone wants to join in, feel free to do so. Me, I've got some work to do and a house to clean before Saturday brunch. Here's wishing us all general goodness and that those pesky, trouble-making gremlins take an extended holiday.

More Good Books...

2007-07-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

I recently finished an ARC of The Concrete Maze, by author Steven Torres. This book marks his first effort at book-length noir/hardboiled fiction (he's written a series of police procedurals set in Puerto Rico that I need to check out). Anyway, it's a doozy. Fans of the genre will find all the classic elements at play here - urban setting, drugs, prostitution and plenty of desperation and impending doom. What's different is the strong sense of familial loyalty and love at the heart of the story.

In short, THE CONCRETE MAZE follows Luis Ramos's search for his 13 y.o. daughter, Jasmine. When Jasmine goes missing from the local skating rink, Luis presses his nephew Marc into service to help find her. Told from Marc's POV, the search is stymied by an apathetic response from local police, reluctant friends, and some seriously nasty bad guys. Luis Ramos is an unlikely, but formidable hero determined to get his daughter back. He gets his daughter back, but she is literally in pieces. The search shifts to finding his daughter's killer, and Luis is no less dogged in his pursuit. The conclusion left this reader torn between grief and disbelief, tempered by the sense of justice served.

My only quibble is that I tend to need sensory detail to ground myself in a fictional world - I could have used a little more of that in this book. I'm not familiar with NYC and I had some trouble getting settled into the "reality" of THE CONCRETE MAZE. On the other hand, this added to the extended dance remix nightmare feeling of days on end of a search that is marked by anxiety, lack of sleep, and plenty of violence. So while I would have liked a little more sensory detail, the book worked well overall and I suspect fans of the genre will be thrilled with THE CONCRETE MAZE. You can pick it up at the end of July, early August. Or you can be smart and pre-order from Amazon, B&N, or your local indie.

In the midst of the craziness of mid-June, I was able to squeeze in a quick trip to The Poisoned Pen bookstore to see Megan Abbott, Sara Gran, and Vicki Hendricks show some film noir clips and talk about noir and their books. I picked up a copy of QUEENPIN while I was there. I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. My only problem is that I'm now compelled to track down and shell out the cash for the other two books that Abbott has penned. My book budget is groaning, but it's gotta happen and sooner rather than later.

QUEENPIN is...well, I'm not even going to talk about the story line. Okay, let's just say it's about the protoge of a high-class tough lady who is in tight with the mob sharks of early 1960's Las Vegas. What's really great about this book is the voice and the writing. Yes, yes, the action is intense, the pace fast, the distinctly noirish story arc inevitable, but the voice is crystal clear and the writing as sharp and delicate as a butterfly with razor blade wings. I could feel the fabrics of the dresses, smell the rust and decay of the garbage dump, all while my ears rang with the thunder of horse hooves at the track mixed with the crowd noise of the casinos. Like the protag, I found myself wanting more at the story's end. If you like period noir, you'll love this book. Seriously. Don't put it off, 'cause you'll be sorry if ya do.

2007-07-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, not the best photo (I've been promised pics from Newt & Howe's photographer...still waiting on those), but I like this one. Victoria Williams is on guitar, Howe Gelb on acoustic guitar, and on the left side, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat is Newt Lynn. In a weird way, Newt is at the nexus of the Raven, the Howe/Victoria show, and Coyote Radio.

A few years back when Newt was finishing up his degree at Prescott College, Andrew convinced him to do sound effects for Coyote Radio Theater. Poor Newt didn't know what he was getting himself in for! He was our foley artist during the monthly Coyote shows at The Mad Linguist - not a low stress gig. The "Mad" shows were broadcast on KJZA, and while a lot of fun, were a tremendous amount of work. Imagine trying to corral 4 voice actors, a foley guy, a sound guy, the director and a musician with 30 minutes of new material to be rehearsed and performed every month. Not to mention the massive amounts of scripts written - many that were rejected w/o ever being performed - and add onto that the technical stuff of remote radio broadcast and a pile o' poets and audience folk. You get the picture. Great fun, but exhausting.

Anyway, Newt eventually graduated and went back to LA (that's Louisiana, not L.A.) for a few years while Coyote soldiered on at a slightly less frenetic pace. Then he came back to Prescott for a visit. Andrew, the eternal dreamer/schemer, had been thinking about the radio station & was convinced that the ultimate place for it would be co-located with a coffee house. The stars had aligned...Newt had a friend (hi, Ty!) who was thinking about opening up a cafe and Newt thought it was an idea worth exploring. A year and a half ago, The Raven Cafe and Coyote Radio Studio opened their doors. Saturday, July 7, 2007, Coyote Radio sent out its first broadcast on AM 1610. The first song that went out over the airwaves "TWO" from Ryan Adams latest.

So the show was awesome, the crowd was really respectful, and the broadcast went well. Been a long time coming, but it was one of the happiest nights of my life. Lots of work ahead - already making lists of equipment needed, issues to be addressed, fundraising, radio shows formats, etc., etc. But for one night, I didn't worry about any of that. I just sat back and enjoyed the show and the look of pride on the hubster's face.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Victoria Williams and/or Howe Gelb, here are a few YouTube links...

Countdown to Transmission...

2007-07-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

Phil Hammon came over a few days ago to help the hubster figure out how to set up the transmitter. After lots o' beer and fresh strawberry daquiris, they think they figured out the basics. Yesterday, the hubster went up on the roof of the Raven and set the damn thing up. Today, he tunes the transmitter to the right frequency (should involve much running up and down the ladder and driving around listening for the signal). All this is in preparation for the Howe Gelb/Victoria Williams show tonight at the Raven - the very first thing broadcast on Coyote Radio's LP-AM radio station!

This whole dealio is the culmination of years of dreaming, Day of the Dead dinner show benefits, research, networking and tons o' hard work. It's not the FM community radio station that the hubster had his heart set on, but a Low-Power AM station is a helluva lot closer than...nothing. And really, "nothing" isn't a fair assessment, either. He's been putting out content for download off the web for ages now - everything from interviews with artists and musicians to slam poetry to OTR (Old-Time Radio theater shows) to Coyote Radio Theater ("New" radio theater)shows. He's been a busy dude. I'm so excited for him to have his dream of community radio take its first steps across the AM airwaves of Prescott tonight!

Over the next few months, there will be a lot of kinks to be worked out, questions to be answered, new partnerships to be explored. Coyote Radio will be partnering with Prescott College this fall, and we're really excited to see what new content and ideas come out of that relationship. It's absolute Capra-Corn, but I love this mountain town and it gives me pure joy to know that we're doing something to give back a little. Now Prescott will have a new venue to communicate better with both the outside world and the folks living here.

Rock on Coyote!

Random Stuff

2007-06-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

This was my fav spot at the Grand Canyon, a studio built and designed by 1900's architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter. Most of the super nifty buildings there were designed by her and were simply amazing.

Just a quick howdy. Life's been insane - won't bore you with the details. Let's just say I've traveled the entire length of the state of AZ (Nogales, Mexico to the Grand Canyon), had a cake explode in my oven, too much time away from the computer, and the radio station will (finally!) go live on 07/07/07. Um, yeah. Insane in the membrane (insane in the brain).

Brett Battle's debut novel, The Cleaner came out before I had a chance to talk about it, dammit. I got my mitts on an ARC of this book a few months ago. Let me just say that while I'm not normally a big int'l thriller reader, I loved this book. Strong writing throughout and a kick ass twist. Believe me, I'm a tough one to fool, but I didn't see it coming. So...if you're looking for a fun, fast summer read, The Cleaner is well-worth checking out!

As for me, I've got over 2 weeks of work to catch up on. I'll try to make the blog rounds in a few days, but this whole "vacation" thing has left me way more stressed out than if I'd been able to stay on track with the writing schedule. Still, kinda hard to tell folks who've traveled well over a thousand miles to visit that I can't hang out with them. Actually, it was impossible. They've headed back home now, leaving me plenty of time, some quiet, and absolute solitude. So back into the breach I go!

Unscheduled Vay-cay

2007-06-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Off for a few days of fun in the sun in southern AZ. Really should be working on finishing up the first draft, but when family comes to town it gets a little more complicated. Oh well. I'll take the notebooks, do a bit of long-hand work and try not to stress too much.

Taking along a few books - The Catcher in the Rye and Sean Chercover's debut, Big City Bad Blood. Doubt I'll have time to read much, but ya never know. Hey, it's a long drive to Mexico!

The Glamorous Life Not

2007-06-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sandra's post today, and especially the New York Observer article, "My Book Deal Ruined My Life" she linked to, kinda...irked me. Whoever buys into the fairy tale notion that a writer's life is supposed to be glamorous is an idiot. Sorry, can't sugar-coat it. If you honestly think getting a book deal is like winning the lottery and everything from that moment on will be gumdrops and lollipops, you are an idiot. Writing is a job. Granted, for most writers, it starts off as an unpaid job, but it's a freakin' job nonetheless.

Work implies effort, overcoming obstacles, and - like it or not - a certain amount of crap beyond the individual's control. I don't care what your job is, these things come into play. Office workers contend with weight gain from too much time spent in front of a computer - an issue that writers and graphic artists must contend with. Not enough pay for the effort expended? Yes. Difficulty maintaining friendships and romantic relationships because of time/energy demands of the job? Nothing new there. On the other end of the work spectrum, folks like plumbers, construction workers, and landscapers deal with physical injuries - for those who are self-employed, health insurance is an expensive proposition. Sounds familiar to those of us who are working in the arts, no?

I'm not saying that any of the complaints are false, or lack legitimacy. But really, there's nothing new here. I read about this stuff all the time. It's true. These are real problems. I'm just sick of the whining and the cloak of entitlement that some folks wrap themselves in. Poor, poor writerly dude/dudette. It's so terribly difficult, such a long and arduous path that you must travel. Please, let your angst bleed over your blog posts and comments on forums - I really, really want to hear how your bestest story ever just can't find a home. How all your hard work isn't appreciated. Blah, blah, blah. And then, when you finally land that agent and get that book deal, how you're still trapped in a pit of tortuous despair. Please. I really want to hear all the gory details.

I guess my rambling p0int is this: just because you make up stories for a living (or hope to be able to make a living at it in the future) doesn't mean you avoid all the life stuff that every other working stiff deals with. It doesn't make you special. And blaming the job (or the book deal) for the general life crap is ridiculous. Get over it. Writing is hard work. It's not brain science/rocket science or superduper extraordinary. Either you do it and find a way to manage the work/life issues, or find another job. Is that so hard?!

Okay, I'm done ranting. I know we all bitch sometimes. I certainly do. Then again, I don't blame the writing for it. My worst day at the 'puter is still better than my best day doing just about anything else. It's hard work, but I write because I choose to. And that's nobody's "fault" but my own!

Oh, in other news, the dumb crook who broke into the Raven and into Coyote's studio has been identified. When the cops get around to it, hopefully they'll arrest his dumb ass. It's annoying that they've known who he is for almost a week and that hasn't happened yet. Evidently Mr. Brilliantly Crafty Criminal is not high on their priority list. This does not make me happy, but there's not much I can do about it except wait and hope.

In other (other) news, there's a new writerly podcast out by Brett Battles and Rob Gregory Brown. Their first one is "Character Is King" and you can check it out here. I haven't actually listened to it, but Brett's a damn good writer, so I've got high hopes.

In the meantime, back to writing and massive house cleaning (family's coming to visit next week). Here's wishing you all much in the way of general goodness and nothing in the way of visits from stoopid crinimals.

Real Stoopid Crime

2007-06-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

*
Still working away on the novel and spending almost no time doing blog stuff. Oops. But I'm coming up on my self-imposed deadline for the first draft (end o' June), and I'm not in the mood to fool around. So between writing, deep cleaning during "stuck" times (scrubbed all the tile in my shower/tub with bleach & a toothbrush - my bathroom has never been so clean) and putting a new coat of waterproofing sealant on the deck, that's pretty much my life. Thrilling adventure, huh? Oh, and the paper plates have worked out great. I confess I even got some paper bowls so I wouldn't have to wash dishes after breakfast. I'm seriously maximizing my slacker skills.

In other news...a truly dorky-looking dude broke into The Raven (and Coyote Radio's studio) early this a.m. How do I know he was dorky-looking? Smile, dude. You're on Candid Camera. Nice wire-rim glasses, shame about the crew-cut. And hey, tuck in that damn shirt, ya hoodlum! Yep, security cameras are pretty cool. Got to see the whole 8 minute ramble through our studio and the cafe. Mr. Brilliantly Crafty Criminal got away with a beer (singular) and a lock box from the Coyote Studio loaded to the brim with...old raffle ticket stubs. Didn't take the computers, the recording gear, the Mackie board or the oh-so-portable microphones. Couldn't figure out how to break into the Raven's register (though he did manage to pretty much destroy it in the process.) Nope. He grabbed himself a cold one from the cooler, went through the desk in the studio and took a lock box. Filled with old raffle tickets. Freakin' genius, eh? Oh, did I mention that the lock box wasn't actually locked?! Geez. Public schools have a lot to answer for. I hope they catch the twerp, but at least he didn't get a lot o' loot. Though he did a chunk of damage between the doors and the cash register. Idiot.

In (better) news...we should get the antennae and transmitter for the radio station sometime in June. Not an LPFM because of ongoing crap with that process, but an LPAM (part 15? can't remember exactly what it's called). So not quite the dream, but pretty cool nonetheless. It'll be a tiny, tiny footprint on the AM airwaves, but we'll have a lot more content and actually be "on the air" as well as having more stuff/shows on the web and available through pod-casting. The hubster is pretty much ecstatic. He's been working toward this for several years and is still wrapping his head around the fact that it's becoming a reality. Hooray for community radio!

Tsunami on the Square is coming up in a few weeks, too. I love this event - mariachis, black-light theater and fire, oh my! They're doing the Art Car Parade again this year and the hubster will serve as announcer there and for a few hours at the main stage on the Courthouse Square. Should be a great time, fer sure.

So...lots of hard work, a stupid criminal, good stuff coming to fruition and an all-day performing arts event. All in all, not too shabby!

*I found this photo on a website called www.dumbcrooks.com. Isn't that the coolest?!

Back to Normal(ish)

2007-05-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

After dealing with much stupidness (and heart-stoppingly outrageous expense) with the truck, I hit the local B&N for a much needed break yesterday. I was thrilled to find Kelly Parra's debut, Graffiti Girl on the shelves. I've been waiting for this one to come out & am looking forward to spending some quality time with it in the near future. It's a YA novel (a genre I've been interested in for a while). I'll let ya know what I think when I've had a chance to finish it.

So...I've been busy with stupid stuff and haven't done diddly on the novel. I'm not talking about the weekend shenanigans, which were great and totally worth the time away. I'm talking about the other life stuff that piles up and cannot be ignored (not the dishes, though - the hubster was awesome & took care of the small mountain I left him). Anyway, I'm back on schedule and happy to be. It's gotten to the point where I feel icky if I haven't written in a day and downright bitchy if it's been more than two days. I was fast approaching uber-bitch mode by the end of Tuesday. Fortunately for all concerned, I'm back on track and much, much happier.

I'm taking up the paper plate suggestion. I feel a little bad about it, but not bad enough to not do it. Sorry dear trees, really I am, but the need to write and NOT do the dishes has over-ridden any lingering pangs of guilt. Besides, at least I'm conserving water this way...right? Um, yeah. That's my story and I'm stickin' with it.

Lost Dog Lands in Phoenix

2007-05-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here's Bill Cameron grinning like mad as he pulls a copy of his debut novel, Lost Dog, off a Phoenix bookstore shelf. Not that he's excited, or anything!

I had a fab and melt-a-riffic weekend driving all over the Phoenix area with Mindy, "Ginsu Tongue", Tarquini, Sharon (aka Southern Bunion) and, of course, Bill, "lost dog," Cameron. Check out their blogs for other photos - I've still got to tone the group pic I've got & I wanna get this up before I fall asleep again! I lost count, but I think we hit somewhere around 24 bookstores in the space of a day and a half. Poor Bill was very sweet and gracious as we pulled U-turn after U-turn (I teased Mindy mercilessly about this) and we kept nagging him to drink more water.

"How much water have you had? What? That's not enough - Sharon, give him another bottle."
(10 minutes later...)
"Bill, did you finish it? No? Hurry up and drink it. Angie, pass him another water. Wait, I think we just passed the B&N."
(pulls U-turn)
"There's no parking. I'll drop you off - don't forget to tell them who your publisher is and that you've got another book coming out next year. Oh, and tell them about the event B&N is throwing for you in Portland!"
(this last bit hollered as we clamber out of the car & Mindy starts to circle the parking lot.)

But you know what? It was one of those insanely serendipitous adventures. When we got to The Poisoned Pen bookstore, Lee Child was in the middle of giving a talk before his signing for Bad Luck and Trouble. The store was beyond packed with probably 150 people there for the event. Very cool on a number of levels - not least of which is that Mindy and I met for the first time last year when Lee Child and Cornelia Read were signing at The Poisoned Pen. Kind of a bizarre anniversary deal. I had to arm-wrestle Mindy for the last copy of Bad Luck and Trouble (Bill very nicely capitulated without giving me shit!). Anyway, turns out that Lee will be in Portland next week for a signing & Bill will get to see him again - and can get his copy of Lee's book then, dammit. Another coolness - Twist Phelan was there to see Lee and I guess Bill knew her from LCC. Small freakin' world, but what the hell are the odds?! Oh, and the bookseller seemed interested in Bill's book, too!

The other truly serendipitous moment came when we hit a bookstore and Mindy recognized a bookstore employee from her book signing adventures last year with Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath. Well, they chatted (and she pointed out that there's a picture of him with Barry and Joe in Spinetingler here). So...he talked with Bill, was really interested in the book & put in an order while we were still there. Woohoo!

After 18 bookstores on Saturday, Mindy's hubby had a wonderful dinner waiting for us - barbecue ribs (with extra J.D. in the Jack Daniels barbecue sauce - yum!), salad, corn on the cob, and a fresh fruit salad for dessert. And I made some tongue numbing strawberry daquiris (hey, 6 people + half a gallon o' rum + 4 pints of strawberries + fresh orange juice + a few bananas = tasty alcoholic fun!). Sharon was smart and went home around 10pm to catch some z's for Sunday's bookstore extravaganza, but the rest of us stayed up way too late. When I realized Bill had fallen asleep in his chair, we sent him to bed & Mindy and I stayed up talking until around 1am. The view from the guest room balcony was beautiful, and we just had so much to talk about (not that that's unusual, or anything) that neither of us really wanted to call it a night.

Day 2 was slightly more mellow. Because it was Sunday & the stores open later, we were able to get enough coffee in us to be ready for the day. Sharon showed up around 10:30 and we hit the road around 11am. Several stops later, we dropped off a tired and teased-to-death Bill at the airport. All in all, a way successful drive-by marathon.

I'm still worn out - I left for Phx at 6:30am on Saturday and didn't get back home until 7pm Sunday night - but I had a great time. I learned a ton from the whole experience, and came up with some good ideas for how to maximize the pitch and get feedback on effectiveness of presentation. Also, I have a lot of respect for authors running themselves ragged and managing to keep their game face on with this kind of promo stuff - exhausting process, both physically and mentally. Definitely took notes and can't wait to do this again for the next author - are you listening, Mindy? Yeah, hurry up & finish so we can do this for you!

I give the Lost Dog Phoenix book-o-rama two thumbs up. Always good to see the Great Ginsu Tongue, and I got to meet Sharon Bunion and Bill in person. Writers are just the coolest, funniest, most interesting people to hang out with. Though I'm still waiting for Sharon's promised snappy comeback (she was still working on it the last time I talked to her...snicker). Next time Bill comes through AZ we'll have to man the photon harpoons and be on the look out for those pesky favre beans, but it's guaranteed to be a helluva good time!

Still Scribblin'

2007-05-17T23:50:00.000-07:00

I'm taking full advantage of the hubster's absence to avoid housework in all of its forms and tippity-tap my wittle fingers off on the novel. It's going well. Never quite as fast 'n furious as I'd like, but...it's going well. The stack of dirty dishes is rising. I'm ignoring it. If it gets bad enough, I might consider some drastic hammer action. 'Course, I can't really afford to buy new dishes, so I think I'll stick with the la-la-la, my-sink-isn't-really-that-full-of-dirty-dishes delusion for now.

I'll be taking a short break this weekend to visit this psycho in the desert. The plan is to chauffeur Bill "lost dog" Cameron around to various bookstores for some drive-by signings. Forecast says highs will be around 100 in hell, er, Phoenix. Yes, I'm planning on bringing plenty o' bottled water along. And I've been promised muchas margaritas Saturday evening.

See, this crazy convection oven heat is one of the reasons why I live in the mountains. It's always 10 to 15 degrees cooler here. And you can breathe the air without choking on thick yellow smog. And it doesn't take 2 hours to drive across town. And the people aren't nearly as rude. And...well, you get the picture. But I'm totally looking forward to spending time with these two reprobates, so I guess it's worth the drive down to hell, er, Phoenix.

Back to my regularly scheduled typing, writing, hair-pulling, iced coffee guzzling, household task ignoring activities.

Good Stuff - Dope

2007-05-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I'm late to the party. I heard nothing but good stuff about this book last year and dammit, I still put off reading it until a few months ago. Don't you make the same mistake.

I freakin' loved this book. It's been ages since I could honestly say that the story, character, voice and writing were all so good that I couldn't help but simply read the book. I had to make myself go back and really analyze how Gran did it, 'cause I couldn't look at the technical stuff until I had finished the novel. Sheer noir pleasure - no complaints, no quibbles of any kind.

DOPE follows former heroin junkie Josephine Flannigan through the seamier side of post-WWII New York. She's been hired by a wealthy suburban couple to find their daughter, Nadine, a former Barnard college student who is missing and believed to be an addict. Although initially cautious about taking the job, the money is good and Joey knows that she may well be the one person who can find the girl. Then again, nothing and no one is what or who they appear to be. The plot twists and turns are vicious and make perfect sense as the story unfolds.

Make no mistake, this is straight up noir. There is no happy ending waiting for Joey and the journey is both relentless and heartbreaking. I read the last two chapters through a lens of tears - not a typical response for me. Thing is, fab writing aside, I can't this character out of my head. It's been a few months since I finished DOPE, and I still catch myself thinking about Joey. The voice is crystal clear, compelling and fierce. Not a light read, but dear god it's a helluva book.

General Busy-ness

2007-05-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Made it up to Flagstaff yesterday (finally!) and enjoyed kickin' back at a coffee shop. I looked like a total dork with my big ass stereo headphones, but I figured "what the hell? it's a college town...maybe they'll just think I'm one of them there eccentrics." They had on good music but there were a couple of old guys talking very loudly about fishing in South Africa a few tables away from me. It was kinda interesting, but I had writing to do, so out came the iPod and monster headphones. Go ahead and laugh. I know I did.

Went to Bookman's but didn't have time to shop - the hubster has to go back to Flagstaff next week, so I'll put in some major browse time then. Stared with great envy and lust at all the people with their little laptops glowing both at the coffee house and Bookman's. I can't wait until I get mine in June! It will make writing outside of the house a lot easier. Writing long-hand kinda sucks, plus I can't help but be grumpy about the fact that it's a lot like writing it twice - first on paper and then at the keyboard. Not exactly conducive to writing much when away from the computer.

Anway, I've set a hard deadline for the first draft of the novel. I got some great (and unexpected) feedback on it earlier this week, so that's kinda lit a fire under my writerly butt. Not that I wasn't dedicated to the process before, but now I'm feeling a little more confident and I'm putting that extra energy to use. So...I'll probably go back to posting shorter stuff a few times a week. Especially since I'm cutting back on internet/blog/forum time. Not going away, just pulling back to focus on the novel. 'Cause that's really what it's all about, right? Doing the thing you love. Whether that's writing, or taking photos, or sharing ideas, or whatever. It's all about doing what you love and not getting sucked into to all the other crap-ola that seems to take up so much time and energy. Right? Right!

Reason #642 Why I Love Prescott

2007-05-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

Starting at the bottom center is Tom Steele (he was sitting under a skylight, so it's not a good pic of him), Gadget is standing, Nate, Mike and Granny J.

Seated are Steven Ayres (he's got the pony tail!), John Kamin, and Georgene. Georgene is thinking about starting a blog - hope she does, 'cause she seemed like an interesting woman!

...'cause there are so many cool people living here! Saturday we had a "blogfest" for local bloggers at Raven Cafe, with eleven bloggers and several other friends and family members. First off, I gotta give a shout out to Granny J for coming up with the idea, and to the hubster for getting it (sort of) organized and inviting everyone. Without these two, the event wouldn't have happened.

We sat around, drank coffee (and other tasty beverages!) and talked a mile a minute. Andrew jumped on the idea to record some of the bloggers for his Prescott Arts Beat radio show (I think Tom was the one who came up with that suggestion). He didn't have time to get everyone, but hopefully we'll get those we missed on the next go 'round. I'll post when the podcast of the show is up, although the hubster is also considering breaking them up into shorter segments. We'll see what he decides.

So what do Prescott bloggers blog about? Hmm...well first up is the political brigade. Tom Steele calls it likes he sees it on just about anything, but especially when it comes to local politics in Prescott Valley. John Kamin runs the blog for our local paper, The Courier (you have to have a subscription to access his blog - I think that's changing at some point in the future, though). Aaaand in the other corner is Steven Ayres. His blog, Courier Watch casts an eagle eye on what's up with The Courier. So if you're into political stuff (okay, okay, mostly local politics, but it's still pretty interesting), you can check out any of these nifty blogs.

Next up are the (mainly) photo bloggers. I guess Mike B. and Nathan A. aren't technically bloggers, but their sites have awesome photos and do allow comments. So, y'know, bloger-esque. These two dudes are good friends and often go out to shoot together (photos, not guns as far as I know). Their styles are different, but I think they are both quite good (and were a lot of fun to talk to). And the queen (in my opinion, anyway) of local pics, is the fab Granny J.. I love her blog, and have for quite a while. She takes great pics, mainly of Prescott, and her background in journalism shines through in both her photos and her text. Very cool lady, great fun to chat with.

On the more eclectic side is Gadget's Airstream Chronicles. He is a super interesting dude who has currently pulled up his airstream here in Prescott. Definitely check out his blog - he's very techno-savvy (hence the moniker) and has some great photos of Prescott and the surrounding wilds. Seriously, I really dig his blog.

Sadira and Dina are more in the "anything goes" category of blogging. Two super nice ladies with way cool blogs that cover pretty much whatever strikes their fancy. I'm putting them on my regular a.m. blog rotation now. Dina also brought along her niece, who blogs as Little Miss Pink Tink (yes, as in Tinkerbell). LMPT recently moved back to Prescott and her blog is...well, pink. She's actually a really decent writer and I'm totally jealous that she's doing such an awesome job at a relatively young age.

Whew! That's a lot of local bloggers, huh?! The thing is, there were a number of other folks who wanted to come but weren't able to make it. We all had such a good time that we're going to try and make this a regular dealio, so hopefully I'll have a chance to meet even more at the next Prescott Blogfest. I really, really love this town. I get irritated with stuff sometimes, but for the most part, I just love Prescott!

More Good Stuff - Lost Dog

2007-05-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've got a stack of books that I've read and enjoyed - we won't talk about the ones I didn't finish, or threw across the room - and my plan is to blog about one book each week. Some of the books are new/debuts, and some of them are ones that are just new to me. We'll see how this works out. I am, after all, the original lazy artist. I'm not making any promises!

So...here's a book I've been meaning to talk about, Bill Cameron's debut novel, Lost Dog. I'll say up front that Bill had promised me an ARC (which I "won" off his blog, only because I knew the origin of a quote that came from the only Woody Allen movie I like). Well, that didn't happen. I guess his publisher had already given out all the ARCs printed to, y'know, actual reviewer types. C'est la vie, no? No. Bill, being the good guy that he is, sent me a copy of Lost Dog when it was published, along with a nifty little plushie black dog. Completely unnecessary, but very sweet and much appreciated. Enough with "isn't Bill the coolest" and on to the book.

Peter McKrall is your average unemployed guy struggling to figure out what the hell to do with his life. Oh, and did I mention that he's a klepto? It's just after Christmas in Portland, OR, and Peter's niece has lost her favorite toy, a worn stuffed dog named Patch. When he heads to the park in search of Patch, Peter finds something much more disturbing. Tucked inside a concrete tube at the playground is the body of a very dead prostitute. What Peter doesn't realize is that the killer has returned to the crime scene and is watching him. When Peter is interviewed by a local television reporter and expresses horror about the crime, the real killer begins to obsess about Peter and how to pin the murder on him.

So...that's the basic set up. Things get complicated quickly with the appearance of the dead woman's daughter, Darla, and an unexpected love interest, local coffee shop owner, Ruby Jane. I'm not going to go into the rest of the plot machinations, 'cause what's the fun is telling the whole story?

While there's a suitably icky killer character, the real strength of the novel is the protagonist, Peter, and one of the cops working the case, Detective "Skin" Kadash. These two characters are the most fully realized and human, and provide a much needed dose of humor in an otherwise grim story. Peter can be wishy-washy, and shows poor judgment in some of his choices, but he's basically a good guy busy being human under extraordinary circumstances. My one issue with Skin comes near the end of the novel (I'm not going into the details, 'cause that's part of the climax of the story). He makes a decision that left me wondering if a detective, even a curmudgeon-y one like Skin, would actually do. While emotionally satisfying, I couldn't help but wonder... But what the hell do I know? I'm not a cop, and it was definitely one of those gray area dealios.

Overall, if you like twisty-turny murder mysteries that combine police procedural with innocent-guy-targeted-by-psycho-killer, you'll dig this book. The character of Peter is believable and unusual enough to take the book to the next level and the supporting cast is far from yawn-worthy. The sarcastic, smart-ass humor is also refreshing and serves as a great counter-balance to the pervasive ick-factor. Lost Dog has definite beach book potential (it's almost that time of year, isn't it?!), and the story will keep you turning the pages.

So, y'know, check it out!

Nothing Goes According to Plan

2007-05-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it doesn't. Or not often, anyway. I thought I'd be in Flagstaff today, chillin' at The Campus Coffee Bean, scribbling in a notebook, getting jacked on caffeine. But I'm not. Dammit. Instead I'm cleaning my house (gross - both in the sense that it looks gross and cleaning is gross) and struggling over some minor plot point with the novel. This is not my beautiful life...this is not my beautiful house...of course, I'm my own beautiful wife, but that's not the point.

I had planned on going to a writer's conference this year. That's also not going to happen. Dude, how do people find the freakin' cash for these things?! Sheesh! By the time you add up the registration fee, airfare, hotel, and food, that's easily over $1000. And that's not including the *essential* bar budget or the *essential* book budget. Well, I need a new laptop. Mine is 6 years old, the battery doesn't work anymore, the modem is dial-up only, and did I mention that it has no disk drive and the only way to save/transfer files is to email them to myself using said dial-up connection? So...yeah. I need a new laptop. Laptop, writer's con, laptop, writer's con. Yeah, writing tool trumps schmooze fest any day. I won't have enough saved up for the 'puter until mid-June...did I mention how much I hate that delayed gratification thingie?! *Sigh*

Oh yeah, and the short-list for the Debut Daggers has been released...sort of. They sent 'round the list of titles (and what countries the authors are from), but not the list of authors. Some weird thing about the judging process. Anyway, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a twinge of "ah, man!" to see I wasn't on the list. On the other hand, I do know one of the writers on said list (and no, I'm not tellin' who it is, don't wanna get 'em in trouble) and that made me very, very happy. Also, I learned a ton in the process of getting the submission ready and sent off. All things considered, I'm pretty cool with the whole dealio. Now I've just got my fingers crossed for a certain writer, sending lots of good luck wishes across "the pond."

On the plus side, we're having a little get-together of local bloggers over at the Raven Cafe this Saturday, organized by the ever fab and overworked hubster. (He's working on Coyote's new web page, so don't laugh at the ridiculously stretched photos - new software to learn and all that!) It was really Granny J's idea - let's give credit here! - but I'm looking forward to going to Blogfest. Should be a nice, eclectic bunch o' bloggers, most of them people I've never met in "real life" before. I'll try and remember to get some pics and talk about that on Sunday...or Saturday night, if I'm really ambitious.

Okay, back to my (ir)regularly scheduled toilet scrubbing and refrigerator de-furring. Actually, I'm considering a simple act of defenestration to deal with the 'fridge. It's quite disgusting in there, I'm ashamed to say. Maybe not head-tucked-behind-a-ham disgusting, but pretty damn icky. Ah well, maybe I'll figure out how to pull off a (fictional) meth stash heist while I'm at it. A girl can dream, can't she?!!

Why I Love Bookstores

2007-04-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, yeah, there's the whole thing with books being there. All kinds, shapes and sizes. The hardbacks, paperbacks, spiral bound, glue-bound, big print, tiny print, blank books. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Books for adults, books for kids, books for "Young Adults," books for artists, computer programmers, motorcycle mechanics and gardeners. All kinds of books for all kinds of readers. And that's a biggie, but there are other reasons why I love bookstores.

Like the fact that I can browse for hours, thumbing through whatever book my hand lands on and nobody will ever come up and ask "are you finding everything okay?" Well, they might at an indie, but NOBODY bugs you at a B&N or a Borders, and I love this. And when I do want some help, the staff are almost always super nice and helpful - 98% of the time, the other 2% I chalk up to PMS or other personal problems that I don't really need to know about.

The smell is wonderful. Libraries are cool, but nothing smells quite like a clean bookstore filled with tons of new books. Especially if they have a coffee shop co-located in it. The scents of coffee and chocolate and new paper trips a little switch in my brain that makes me think of worlds of words and ideas to explore. Pure heaven.

Another nice thing about the B&N's are the tables and chairs scattered throughout the store - not just in the cafe. How cool is it to settle in and read a few pages of a brand new book? Doesn't really matter if you've bought the book yet, you can still get comfy and take some time to figure out if it's really what you want. Again, nobody says "boo" about it.

I'm not an indiscriminate lover of bookstores. There is a used bookstore in town that I just can't go into. My husband loves it, but I can't stand the claustrophobia of 7 ft. tall stacks of books crammed in way too tight. I have this irrational fear of getting too deep into the store and having the bookshelves collapse on top of me. Oh, and I don't like the way the store smells. Sorry, but give me a well-lit, clean, comfy and reasonably spacious bookstore and I'm happy. Stick me inside a poorly lit, overcrowded space that smells funky and watch me fa-reek. Can't do it. Don't wanna, ain't gonna.

Still, there's no other place on earth I love quite like a good bookstore. And I'm so very, very grateful to have them around.

Good Stuff - Suspicious Circumstances

2007-04-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

So here's the scoop. I've read a bunch o' books that I've liked and I've been meaning to talk about them. So now I get to stop "meaning to" and actually do it. First up is Sandra Ruttan's debut, Suspicious Circumstances.

I gotta say, I'm not normally a big fan of police procedurals. This book is not your typical procedural, though. There's not an alcoholic, divorced cop with anger/PTSD/oh-god-I've-lost-my-partner issues to be found. Thank god. What you will find is a journalist who's willing to put principles before headlines (hey, this is fiction! Okay, there are some principled journalists out there in the real world, but you know what I mean), and a cop who's an actual human being. What?! Can you do that?! Well, yeah, that's exactly what author Ruttan has done. Again, thank god.

While Suspicious Circumstances has plenty of nasty crimes to keep you hooked, the real meat of the story lies in the relationship between journalist Lara Kelly and Detective Tymen Farraday. I'm not talking Harlequin Romance stylie relationship, I'm talking about the real deal kinda relationship. Plenty of spark, intelligence, and the back and forth dance of growing trust and understanding.

So...I'm not going to go all spoiler-ific here. I'll just say that if you're looking for a police procedural that has plenty of darkness and a healthy dose of heart to go along with a head-snapping series of twists, then you'll probably dig this book. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what Ruttan comes up with next. Should be veddy interesting.

Sundogs Sucked, But I Still Love Hockey!

2007-04-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Well, they did. We lost 8-2 to New Mexico tonight. On the plus side, it's the first year for this minor league hockey team (the Sundogs, not NM) & they made the play-offs! There's another game on Saturday. Don't know if we'll make it, but I hope they do better than they did tonight.

I just love this game. It moves fast, players get mad and have fights (lots o' padding means I don't worry too much about anyone getting seriously hurt), and it's a bizarrely graceful game. LOVE it! Plus, it's an excuse to yell a lot and do stupid dances. I dig the catharsis. Bad day at the office/computer/whatever? Go to a hockey game. Trust me, you'll feel a lot better afterwards. Even if your team loses.

If Bambi Was a Mule Deer...

2007-04-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

then she and her mommie were in my backyard yesterday afternoon. Here's the baby through the slats of the deck.

The older doe knocked over the gnome (go figure...even the deer don't like garden gnomes).

The dogs went bezerk-o. The deer were smart enough to know the mutts couldn't touch 'em, but kept an eye on the humans staring at them through the sliding glass doors. Guess we didn't spook 'em too badly, 'cause they showed up again this morning. This time they brought friends. Nothing like waking up at o'dark-thirty with crazed dogs and five does in our tiny backyard. Beautiful, even if I wasn't happy about getting woken up early. I love living here!

Nap Time!

2007-04-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, sleep...

Got the Debut Dagger submission finished and sent off last night. Completely worn out, but I feel good about the work I accomplished. I learned a ton in the process and am ready (after a long nap!) to put some of that new knowledge into action. Writing the synopsis for the contest was a first. Yes, it was sucktastic and difficult. Still, it forced me to get clear on what the bare bones of the story are. Sucktastic, but ultimately beneficial.

Big kudos to everyone who submitted and massive thanks to all who gave me feedback and encouragement during the past few weeks.

Got some reading to do, then back to writing. My poor blog has been so neglected! I'll work on that...swear!

Bad Day to Be A (Chocolate) Bunny

2007-04-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Juanita for sending me this...

New Spinetingler!

2007-03-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Yep, the new issue of Spinetingler is finally up and ready for your reading pleasure. Looks like a great issue & I'm looking forward to reading it over the weekend. There's an author profile on Tim Maleeny as well as a brief review of his debut novel, STEALING THE DRAGON written by yours truly. Not to mention some great short stories and interviews (Ken Bruen!). Go check it out!

Where My Thoughts Are...

2007-03-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

2007-03-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm writing a lot, reading a lot and blogging not much at all. Sorry about that, but I'm finally getting into a groove, so it'll probably be spotty posting at best for a while. I'm reading some pretty good books right now and it's entirely likely that I'll feel compelled to blab about them at some point, but for now...yeah, you get the picture. Not that my life is all that damn interesting at the mo' anyway...

A Virtual Bar for Crime Fic Folks

2007-03-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

If you're into crime fiction, as a reader or a writer, then you should check out Crimespace. Created by Aussie freak-boy, Daniel Hatadi, Crimespace is a great place to hang out and meet lots of other cool people. It's my first foray into a MySpace-esque social network thingie, and I have to say I'm really having a blast. So, y'know, if you're into that sort of thing, stop by, pull up a chair and check it out. I'll be your friend...I really, really will!

Early Fire Season

2007-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. I'm not talking about the first flowers of spring, or the early hair-pulling of tax preparation. I'm talking about fires.

There are two burning in the Prescott area right now - one of which started as a controlled burn & jumped the lines. That one is about 10 miles from my house. I'm not especially worried, but I have to say that I flashed back on the Indian Fire of 2002. That fire started a little over 1/4 mile from my old house, right smack in the middle of the national forest. We had to evacuate & I was sure our house was gonna be charcoal. We were lucky. No, really. Our house had been red-tagged, as in "screw it, let this one burn, we can't defend it." Less than a year later, we moved to the other side of the mountain, closer to town, at the edge of the tree-line rather than deep in the Ponderosa Pines.

Two fires this early in the season is giving me the heebie-jeebies. We had a super dry winter with almost no snow or rain & spring is pretty much here already. Add in the fact that Arizona's in the midst of a multi-year drought (I think we're something like 8 or 9 years in), and I'm worried. It's time to get the run-away box and emergency suitcase packed & ready by the door.

Think I'm kidding? When a forest fire gets up on its metaphorical hind legs and starts to run, there's no time to worry about getting your important papers, meds, or clothes together. You grab your shit and go. Last time I had just enough time to collect the dogs, dump the contents of the desk drawers into a suitcase and toss in the laptop and whatever clothes came to mind, all while the fire fighters stood in my driveway telling me to hurry up, get out, get gone. For whatever reason, my panicked mind skipped right over shirts and socks. Plenty of pants and undies, but not a single pair of socks. It was both hilarious and freaky to think "this may be all I've got left" as we waited for news about which direction the fire was going, how many structures were lost, etc., etc. I didn't like it very much, but it helped me get my priorities straight pretty damn quick.

I can hear a plane flying over my house right now. Betcha a dollar it's a slurry tanker making a last run before the sun goes down. Like I said, I'm not worried about this one, but I'm not getting caught without a plan - or socks! - this fire season.

Number 1 Fan Girl: Why Ken Bruen Rocks...2x

2007-03-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Crime fiction encompasses a huge variety of sub-genres, offering something for just about everybody. Don't like a lot of violence? There's whole array of so-called "cozy" mysteries for the more genteel reader. Want a little paranormal with your murder and mayhem? Have no fear, plenty of ghosts & ghoulies available to hold your interest. Like some steamy sex with your steaming corpses? Yep, you can get that too. P.I. stories, police procedurals, amateur sleuths, cat detectives, complex capers, international spies, serial killers - the list goes on and on.

And then there's Ken Bruen.

The first time I read a Bruen novel (THE GUARDS, the first of the Jack Taylor books), I thought,now this is what I'm talkin' about, this is exactly what I've been searching for. The rhythmic elements and deft way he has of finding exactly the right word or phrase kicked the novel up way past ordinary. I'm still not sure how or why, but Bruen managed to take a deeply damaged character and make me care about him, made me silently cheer him on, even as I watched the character screw up over and over and over again. And the unexpected gift was the humor running through the novel like a ribbon of dark, sparkling humanity. Literary magic.

Hooked, I started digging around and was thrilled to find that Bruen's been a busy man. I've got plenty of his novels and short stories to keep me busy - thank the writing gods for that! I'll tell ya a secret, though. I'm taking my time. While it's easy to race through his writing (most of his work reads like water), I'm savoring each one, taking my time to let the words roll around in my mind, watching to see how he does it.

AMERICAN SKIN, Bruen's latest novel, broke my heart. I read a lot of blurbs and reviews that emphasized the fast pace and the violence, but in my opinion these are lesser elements. A deep river of love runs through the story, feeding the loss and guilt that constantly threatens to drown protag Stephen Black. Bruen moves back in forth in time effortless, taking his reader from Ireland to New York, Las Vegas to Tucson. The effect is both disorienting and intoxicating. If you haven't picked up this book yet, you're missing out.

Of all the crime fiction writers I've read over the years (and yeah, I've still got a TBR list a mile long), Ken Bruen is the one who gives me hope for the genre. I'm not knocking the potato chip writers (you know what I'm talkin' about...you zip through the book, it's fun, but ultimately forgettable). There's a place for those books, but I crave more than empty lit calories. Bruen transcends the genre, taking crime fiction to a new level, while asking more of and giving more to his readers. The man writes, a rare commodity.

I don't want to write like Bruen - that would be like wanting to be a counterfeit artist - but I do hope to find the clear, authentic voice of my own. Bruen's work inspires me to keep reaching, to dig a little deeper, not to be afraid to speak the truth and shame the devil. Even when it's an ugly truth. Do I sound like a total fan-girl? Yeah, well, I am. So sue me.

I'm not going to say that Bruen's books are for everyone. If you don't like violence (and if that's the case, then I'm wondering why the hell you'd be reading crime fic in the first place), or if you can't cope with profanity, then you probably won't be all that excited about his books. Your loss. Me? I'm gonna go finish up THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS. I've got 3 of his books more set aside for when I can't stand waiting any more & need to be reminded of what truly excellent writing is.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy-Jig

2007-03-08T08:06:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen West Bank Story yet, you really, really should check it out. It's the funniest thing I've seen in ages and totally deserved the Academy Award it won last month. The log line of the short film sums it up pretty well..."a little singing, a little dancing, a lot of hummus."

So (obviously), I'm back from my hiatus and have a small mountain of work to get through. Honestly, I'm stoked to get back to my normal(ish) life. Once the desk gets cleared, I've got some ground to make up with the writing. I'm actually looking forward to that, too. I'm back, but I have a feeling blogging will be sporadic until I've cleaned up the work flow. I'll be running around & catching up with ya'll over the next few days. I understand there's a new crime fic thing somehow related to MySpace, so I guess I'll have to see what that's all about. Maybe tomorrow...

Went to the Lucinda Williams concert in Tucson a few days ago and have to say it was wonderful. I just adore her voice & song writing. Oh yeah, and her band kicked ass, too. One of the better birthday presents I've gotten! Weirdly enough, it was my first time to visit Tucson. Yeah, yeah, lived in AZ for almost 10 years now & still haven't been to the Grand Canyon or Mexico, so give me a break. Anyway, Tucson is now in my top 10 liveable cities list (and I really, really don't like city living, to that's saying something). Will definitely be going back soon.

It's good to be home. I guess that's pretty much all I wanna say today.

Checking In

2007-02-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

I'm not officially back, still got personal life stuff to take care of - looking like mid-March before things settle down. But it's my birthday, and I've been thinking (yes, I do occasionally use the ol' noggin for something other than banging my head against the monitor).

Sometimes people really piss me off. I'm not talking about the mentally ill or straight up criminal types, I'm talkin' about the regular folks. This is not exactly an earth shatteringly new insight, but it is one that comes back and demands attention every now and then. It breaks my heart and frankly confuses the hell out of me. For those of you who are thinking "oh crap, another Pollyanna moment," think again. I spent several years working with the truly screwed up in our fab society, so I mostly get what that's about. Nine times out of ten, when someone shakes their head and says "I don't understand how anyone could do 'x' to 'y'," I do understand. I'm not saying it's right or justifiable, just that I get where the behavior came from.

What I don't get is the rest of it. What's up with the "normies," people who are generally nice folks, getting all weird and often downright mean? I've seen it happen so many times & I've done it too. I'm not proud of it, but it's true. I was thinking about one of my old jobs while working on the novel and remembered the random cruelty that came about because someone felt jealous, inferior, threatened on some basic level that generally had nothing to do with the situation at hand. Rumors got started, cruel and disparaging remarks were made, nasty looks and nastier attitudes. And yeah, there are some straight up bastards running around, but for the most part it's just regular folks doing dirt to each other. What a waste of time and energy.

What's the big about owning your crap instead of projecting it onto those around you and making him/her the baddie? Is it so hard to just deal and maybe remember that everybody else on this planet has their own closet full of guilt and fear monsters? I dunno. Guess so. When I left the behavioral health biz, I confess to being pretty much empty in terms of caring about anyone else's crap. The accepted term is "compassion fatigue." In my case it was more like "compassion extinction." You know what? It's still easier for me to feel compassion for the addict, the mentally ill, the developmentally disabled than the "normies." We know better. We just don't choose to act better.

Makes for good writing fodder, but sometimes makes getting on with the life thing way harder than it needs to be. On the writing front, I've worked in a sub-plot that's pretty much centered on this notion. It's working well with the story line, but it still makes me wonder. Dude, I need to go read some Tom Robbins...maybe another dose of Skinny Legs and All. He always reminds me of the humor and beauty of being stupidly petty and human. A great reminder of the flip side. Plus, I love Can o' Beans and the whole turning the Airstream trailer into a giant silver turkey. Boomer and Ellen Cherry Charles are such great characters. Yep. Just what the doctor ordered for the mean people suck blues. Bjork helps a little too!

Temporarily Shut

2007-02-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

Life has a way of stepping forward & demanding immediate attention. I'll be back once I've taken care of a few things. Hopefully no more than a few weeks.

That Valentine Thing

2007-02-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's that day again - the one I loved until I hit 11 or 12, hated from 13 until my early twenties & have learned to love again. When I was a kid, I always got an enormous box of chocolates from my dad and an even more enormous card - usually a Peanuts cartoon one. A few years ago, my mom found an old Valentine's Day card my dad had gotten for me and sent it to me. Brought back some great memories.

Starting in junior high, the whole Valentine's Day thing got ugly. I think it was those damn carnations. You know the ones...red ones meant "I love you," white ones for "I like you" and the ubiquitous yellow ones for "friends." Delivered in one of the early morning classes, it was a walk of wonder for the cutie girls and the walk of shame for the less popular kids. Awful to the point that even a dreaded yellow carnation was preferable to nothing. Horrible, horrible.

As I hit high school and moved into college, I started seeing Valentine's Day as a total farce, cooked up by florists, chocolatiers, jewelry stores and Hallmark. I'm not saying I didn't get some lovely gifts, I'm just saying I felt manipulated and really hated the holiday. I'm sure junior high had something to do with it, but it all felt like some bizarre fake contest to see who had the bestest boyfriend or girlfriend based on the cost of the loot obtained. Did I mention I was a bit of a cynic?

And yet...I feel a little differently today. Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a commercialized freak show unless we let it. What's wrong with letting your sweetie know that you love him or her madly? What's wrong with letting your friends and family know that they hold a special place in your heart? Really, what's so funny about peace, love and...well, hopefully you know the rest of the Costello line or you're more messed up than I can offer help for!

I don't care at all about hearts, flowers, or jewelry (though chocolate is ALWAYS nice!), but I dig having a whole day dedicated to showing love through words and actions. That's tres coolio and no damn card company is going to stop me from enjoying it. Here's wishing you all lots of love in all its varied forms this Valentine's Day!

Done Bitchin'...Sort of

2007-02-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

I've not been a happy camper on the writing front for ages. As in months. And more months. I've been on the blacker side of blue for about the same amount of time. Know what? I'm done. With the angry depressive crap anyway. Mostly.

I'm not a big fan of publicly moaning and groaning. Frankly, I tend to keep my process on the down-low because it's weirdly personal and I just don't feel like sharing. What the hell is anybody going to do/say besides offer (frequently good) advice, cheerleading, or poor babies? Yes, we all need a good poor baby every now and then, but it just gets old after a while.

Here's my oh-so-pithy conclusion: it's just words on the freakin' page. The novel is not the sum/total of who I am intellectually, emotionally, creatively, or any other "ly" you want to throw in. The world will not end if it is not perfect. The world will not end if I write it, or don't write it. I, however, may well implode if I continue to put all this insane-o pressure on myself to live up to ridiculous expectations. It is paralyzing and the end result will inevitably be a beautiful, still-born novel if I continue in this vein. So I quit.

No, I'm not quitting writing in general or the novel in particular. I quit with the whole crazy-making fear and insecurity. Thank you very much, but I really want to get back to having a little fun with words instead of incessant worry. So I'm letting go of bitch mode (okay, except for creepy-crawlers & other non-writing junk). My plan on implementing this? Go play when I'm truly stuck, stick it out if I'm just scared and stop with the angry depressive shit. It's just wasted energy and time and let's face it, we all have a limited supply of both.

I'm planning on entering the Debut Dagger thingie, and have been going nuts over how to write a synopsis for the reverse chronology of the novel. I'm letting go of that, too. I'll still enter, and do my best, but damned if I'm gonna get all flippy over it. Won't make the book any better or the work any more fun, so screw it. It's just words on the page, dammit!

The Evilosity of Spiders

2007-02-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

The eight-legged freaks struck again tonight. As I was settling in to eat dinner & watch an iTunes download, a spider literally fell onto my plate. Yep, smack into the broccoli. Naturally, I screamed like the girl that I am and almost broke my neck leaping up out of my chair. Nearly gave the poor hubster a heart attack. After retreating in a rapid manner to the kitchen and throwing my silverware in the sink, the hubster came in bearing my dinner and insisting that the creepy-crawly was nowhere to be found on my food. Little bastard was hanging out on the desk, though. Just chillin' in front of the keyboard. After a successful squishing mission, my husband looked at me and said, "maybe you should go back to painting - they seem a little too interested in you when you're writing." Damn creepy ass arachnids. I'm writing, I'm writing. Now leave me the hell alone!

Fresh Eyes

2007-02-08T09:44:00.000-08:00

Amazing what you learn from fresh eyes. I sent the first 3 chapters of the novel to a friend a few days ago, asking for feedback. The good news is that she didn't have trouble following the story as it leaps back, and kept turning the (virtual) pages. The better news is that she pointed out a big problem that I was able to fix fairly painlessly. The protag is a teenage girl, but the story is told in first person so it's not likely she's going to blurt out her age. My friend thought it was a young woman in her early twenties! A little back and forth, a few word changes, and I think I've fixed it so that it's clear in the first chapter that she's a teenager, not a grownup. I'm so glad to have had someone point this out at this stage of the game. The opening is key to setting the scene, and having confusion about this would have caused major problems as the story progresses. This is exactly why it's important to have multiple readers. Whew! Bullet dodged.

Ho-hum, Tippity Tap

2007-02-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

Not much to say. Writing diligently, if not joyfully. Working on that last part. Pulled an all-nighter for no good reason and am tired, a little cranky, but still in there pounding the keys. So I guess that's all right.

Vision and Revision

2007-02-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

Hadn't planned on putting up any pics of my paintings (you can click on it to see a closer view...and the rotten cropping job), but I had one of those head smacking revelations a few days ago. Kind of like in physics when I'd stare and stare at a formula (hours, days sometimes) in complete incomprehension, and then something would make those little grey cells click & I'd "get" it. A friend of mine recently completed a first draft of a novel (first completion for him - Yay, Christian!), and talked about moving from the "vision" stage to the "revision" stage. For whatever reason, hearing it put this way made the little grey cells click & I've been able to get some writing done. Not a ton, but a lot more than the hundred words or so I was managing to eke out before.

Everybody talks about the first draft being messy, long, etc., etc. I kept hearing "don't worry about getting it right, just get it done," and other pithy bits of good advice that made me pretty much nuts. I'm a perfectionist, and a fairly lean writer and I couldn't freakin' do it. Now I get it, though.

Writing really has to be like painting for me. I started off as a figurative painter - it wasn't until my Painting III class that I had a teacher encourage me to stop painting people & focus on the abstract work I was doing in the background. Flipped me out entirely, but he was right. With my abstract work, I would literally make a mess on the canvas - this painting was no exception. Basically, I got the colors, general composition, and feeling - not just the emotional shit, but that sense of core concept - down, and it was (usually) really fast work. And I almost always had a lot of fun in this part of the process.

Then came what I called the push 'n pull. I'd rotate the canvas until I found the right view and begin taking the threads in the piece I wanted to push back or pull forward. Sometimes I added new elements, but mostly it was all about the push 'n pull. Bring this line forward, paint over this space, draw with charcoal or pastel onto wet oil, blur this edge, sharpen that one. Here's where the real joy of painting came in. When I finally "got" the piece, the act of painting felt as though I was just part of a conduit for what wanted to come into being. That critical part of my mind wasn't absent, but relegated to a different space in the act of creating, kind of floating on the periphery. The critical mind was always making comments, but wasn't screaming in my head stopping my hand from moving or making a decision. I'm not trying to sound all woo-woo, I just don't know how to explain it better than that.

This is exactly what I need to do (and have started doing) with the novel. Work fast, make sure all the elements are present and then worry about what needs to be sharpened, blurred, written over, moved. The vision has to be allowed to come into being first, though. How the hell do I expect to be able to do the push 'n pull when I don't have the elements on the canvas (page) first?!

Okay, okay. Captain Obvious is shaking his head, but I'm just grateful that I think I finally "get" this whole vision/revision thing. It's a no-brainer. As in, I can't let the ol' brain get out of control, because that just stops the vision before it has a chance to come out and be. So, y'know, that's where I'm at.

Not Much

2007-02-01T13:56:00.000-08:00

Y'know, I've pretty much got nothin' going on. The writing is...well, it is what it is. The weather is still cold & kinda gross - got a little snow over the past few days, but not enough to get excited about. Basically it's just cold and wet. A load of firewood arrived just in time for it to get good and drenched. Makes starting up the wood stove a little more challenging than I'd like, but it's too cold not to have it going. So, much cursing as I haul in sopping wood and try to get the damn fire going. Not to mention the bits of bark and the muddy doggie footprints all over the carpet. Grumble, grumble.

On the good news front, one of my musical heroes (heroines?!) is coming to Tucson in March. I love Lucinda Williams and I'm thinking tickets to the show would make an excellent birthday present. I'm getting the impression my hubby thinks so, too, as he was the one who texted me to let me know about the concert. It's still a way off, but Tucson in early March with Lucinda may just be what the winter blah specialist ordered. Her music is a mix of country, blues, rock, but all mixed up to make a sound that's just Lucinda. I'm just so excited she's coming to AZ - especially since I missed her show in Flagstaff last April.

Still working on Sandra Ruttan's Suspicious Circumstances, just started Bruen's The Killing of the Tinkers, and then it's on to Richard Lewis' The Killing Sea. Or that's the current plan. Who knows? I've been so wishy-washy, blah, etc., etc., that I may end up watching lots of dumb movies instead. Or not.

War of the Squirrels Podcast - Parts 1 & 2

2007-01-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

Yessiree, dem's ninja squirrels!

Parts One and Two of War of the Squirrels from 2006's Day of the Dead show is up now. Go check it out (part 3 is still in post-production - not as sexy as it sounds, just needs a lil' "sweetening" before Andrew puts it up). For whatever it's worth, I play Myra Flato and Sheriff Lobo - sort of a John Wayne meets Elvis voice. Anyway, enjoy. You can either play it directly from the site or download it & listen to it later.

Another cool thing that has nothing to do with squirrels is that the Smoki Museum's hosting an art show of Leonard Peltier's paintings. I'm stoked & will definitely be going to see this. If you want to hear my goofy hubster and J.T. Tannous talk with Smoki curator Adam Mikos talk about the upcoming event, you can listen to the podcast here. I guess Leonard Peltier's going to be making a phone call on the opening night...should be very, very cool.

Random Bits

2007-01-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Finally got the title for the scooter notarized & bought a helmet yesterday. I'm gonna look like a total dork, so I think I'll be moving forward with the whole cover-the-helmet-in-fake-fur idea. In for a penny, in for a pound & all that. Oh yeah, and got some more hair dye as my lovely pink locks are fading into an odd orangey pinkness. Didn't I mention the pink hair? No? Well, here's a pic to prove it. Andrew likes this one - says I look ornery. Who me?! Never!

Finally getting started on Suspicious Circumstances after having just finished Bruen's American Skin & Maleeny's Stealing the Dragon (available for pre-order now). So far so good with SC, adored American Skin (even though it broke my heart) and enjoyed Stealing the Dragon. After SC, I've got to get to work on the TBR pile - more on that in a later post, I think.

Mostly I'm just tired. Yeah, yeah, who isn't these days. Think it's partly the weather & mostly the fact that I've just been struggling with the writing. Completed the revised first 3 chapters of the novel & am much happier with them now (and no more creepy spider dreams, thanks very much), but it's just so flippin' slow. I'm not exactly a patient person. Unfortunately, I'm also a bit of a perfectionist. The combo makes for a pain in the booty kind of writing process. It's okay, but not much in the way of fun.

Which brings me to my personal goal for this fine Sunday...have some fun, dammit! Life's too short for the whole tortured artist routine, so today I'm gonna play with words & see a movie (been meaning to go see "The Departed" and looks like today is the day). No house cleaning junk - okay, okay, a girl's gotta have some clean dishes, but otherwise I'm taking the Nancy Reagan approach and will "just say no" to toilet scrubbing, refrigerator cleaning, sweeping, mopping, etc. It's the last day of the weekend, after all. Who the hell wants clean on the weekend?!

Blogger Kinda Sux

2007-01-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

While this looked very cool in the movie, I'm not so thrilled when my blog goes all codey/Matrix on me. For no apparent reason. At least it didn't pull the invisible blog trick...well, not entirely. On the other hand, the situation forced me to make a back-up copy of the blog during the machinations to get the poor ol' LZ Lounge back up and running. And then I found the spam lurking in some of the comments. Was it really necessary to spam me on my anniversary post?! Losers.

Another weirdness...all of the paragraph breaks are gone & now the posts read like giant blocks of grey text. Gross. 'Course, I'm way too lazy to go back and fix all that crap (read the title of the blog, people...I'm not kidding!). Ooh, wait! I think I figured it out! God, I'm such a techno-ninny.

A more interesting weirdness is going back and getting to see all the changes people made with their avatars. Mindy went from a real estate agent-esque pic to the crazy/goofy neighbor lady pic - would you really trust her to pick up your mail when you're on vacation? I think not. Sandra went from straight hair to super curly red hair to mean widdle kid with a serious 'tude. And Anne is by far the most prolific & fun avatar chameleon (though I still say the smoking baby av is the best!).

I've noticed that I have some themes running in the blog post topics. Stuff like arts events in Prescott, poetry, Coyote Radio, sporadic cleaning binges, good books, bitching about poor blog etiquette, dreams and dreaming. And oh yeah, writing and much whining when it's not going well (hello, Ethel, my sweet little nemesis). Go figure. Hey, at least I'm consistent!

Creep Factor

2007-01-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

Woke up in the middle of a horrible dream. No slasher movie/suspenseful crap. No, it was much, much worse. I was working in an art store (it's been, what? 15 years since I've done that?) and went to ring someone out at the cash register. Only to move something and be faced with a gi-normous spider. I'm talking dinner plate size. Not a fuzzy spider, but one with a carapace kind of like a crab shell. And it had a baby. The size of a salad plate. Eeurgh, Ew and Aaaargh! The monster arachnids scampered off onto the floor several feet into the corner and this is when things went from creepifying to weird. I pulled out a color-coded chart and discovered that they were in a "safe" zone and I couldn't squish 'em. Not that I really wanted to. C'mon, those hard shells wouldn't squish, they'd crackle. Shudder. Twitch. (I'm talking about me here, not the creepy-crawlers).

The hubster would inevitably tell me that the nightmare critters are about the fact that I need to get off my ass & write. As in, Write Now, Dammit! He always reminds me of the myths about spiders creating the first written language in their webs. He might be right about why they showed up in my dream, but I could use a less terrifying kick in the pants, dear psyche. No really. Please lay off the giant brittle bugs. You're just scaring me into paralysis, so knock it off. If you promise to keep the eight-legged freaks out of my dreams, I promise I'll write my little fingers off.

Music and Dreaming

2007-01-23T05:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wake up with a song in my head. Usually it speaks to whatever I was dreaming - maybe just evocative of a feeling, an image, a thought. If I've been turning over a problem, the song can point me to the solution or to what I really think or feel about the situation. Kind of nifty.

Sometimes it's a really annoying song, but this morning I can't complain. I woke up with Neko Case's "I Wish I Was the Moon" thrumming through me - and not just a snippet, but a big ass chunk. If you don't know it, you should check it out. Here are the lyrics:

Chimney falls and lovers blaze
Thought that I was young
Now I've freezing hands
And bloodless veins
As numb as I've become
I'm so tired
I wish I was the moon tonight

Last night I dreamt I'd forgotten my name
'Cause I sold my soul
But I woke just the same
I'm so lonely
I wish I was the moon tonight

God blessed me I'm a free man
With no place free to go
Paralyzed and collared-tight
No pills for what I fear
This is crazy
I wish I was the moon tonight

Chimney falls as lovers blaze
I thought that I was young
Now I've freezing hands
And bloodless veins
As numb as I've become
I'm so tired
I wish I was the moon tonight

How will you know if you've found me at last?
'Cause I'll be the one be the one be the one
With my heart in my lap
I'm so tired
I'm so tired
And I wish I was the moon tonight

I'm so tired
I'm so tired
And I wish I was the moon
I'm so tired
I'm so tired
And I wish I was the moon tonight

Happy Dance for Sandra!

2007-01-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a happy dance for the Queen Canadian Firecracker, Sandra Ruttan. Go visit her. She's got awesome news about a collaboration with my absolute favorite author, Ken Bruen. I'm so freakin' happy for her! For those of you who aren't familiar with Bruen's work, you are hereby ordered to remedy that sad situation immediately (I'd rec. THE GUARDS to start with). And for those who have been living under a rock, Sandra's debut novel, SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, is available now - my copy arrived a few days ago. Where's yours?!

That's right. I blame Canada.

Devil Wears Blech...

2007-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

If I'd actually spent money on this, I'd want it back. Plus interest. There's a new DVD vending machine at our grocery store that offered a free video rental. My husband, being a total sucker, chose this as his free rental (I had NOTHING to do with this decision...I wasn't even there when he did it). He swears it was just 'cause he'd heard that Meryl Streep did an amazing job. She did. I still hated the movie and want the hour and forty-five minutes of my life back that I spent watching the damn thing. You know it's bad when you're able to accurately predict in real time what's going to happen next. My husband literally said, "oh no...she's gonna throw her phone into the fountain." Yep. That's what she did. Ultimo lameness, ultimo predictability. And the movie never did make a stand on the whole fashion industry thingie. Sure, it made fun of the fashionistas, but it never quite went for the jugular - even though the evil Miranda Priestly always did. Dear god, I'm so thrilled that Chick Lit (or Chic Lit, in this case) is dead. I just hope it doesn't go all Elvis on us and insist on coming back over and over and over again. Now THAT'S a scary thought.

Get on Your Bad Motor Scooter and Ride...

2007-01-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

Horrible song, but I can't stop saying it. Still need to get a helmet, but in AZ you technically just have to wear sunglasses. Like that's gonna do much to keep my head intact if I should be stupid and/or unlucky enough to take a spill on these mountain roads. Love the scooter, though I couldn't get the damn thing started until it was too late to take it into to town...sheer stupidity on my part. Today is a different story, though. I'll wait until it's a little warmer & then take a ride into town, go get some work done at the studio. Need to get a little farther along on the new Coyote website (the old one is too damn cluttered), and yes, I'll be doing some work on the novel, too. I'm thinking a change of venue would be nice - plus I can get coffee that I don't have to make myself, so what's to complain about?

Here's the deal with the novel. I started over. I didn't toss everything out, but I was having a bitch of a time getting past one section & finally printed out what I had written and started again from the beginning. It seems to be working for me. Although the writing is still coming along stupid slow, at least it's moving. So now I've got a few things to take care of, and then I'm gonna get on my bad motor scooter and ride!

Flippin' Cold

2007-01-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

It's really cold here. Okay, not ice/snow storm in the Midwest cold, but damn cold nonetheless. I wouldn't mind so much except a) I now have lots of little bits of bark and wood chips all over the damn living room floor from toting in wood for the wood stove and b) I just bought a scooter over the weekend & it's too flippin' cold to ride the damn thing. So I mind.

On the other hand, I have no excuse, zero, zip, zilch-a-rooti to put off writing. I really hate it when I'm bored with all the usual procrastination crap AND the weather is shitty, 'cause then I'm just fresh out of excuses. I guess it's time to make another mocha and settle down in front of the ol' wip and kick some writerly boo-tay. In this case, that means kicking my own ass to return to my little druggie girl and the body in the desert. I'm sure she's got some stuff on her mind that she's just dying to tell me...if she doesn't, it's gonna be a long, long night.

A Little Too Close To Reality

2007-01-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

Your Life is Like

Being John Malkovich

What John Cusack Movie Are You?

Swear to god. Laughed out loud when I read my results for this quiz thingie. Too, too funny. More accurate than I'd like.

Taking a Few Days Off

2007-01-10T02:31:00.000-08:00

I'm sick. My hubby is sick. The writing is sucky. See you when looking at the computer screen doesn't make my eyeballs throb.