Podcast Madness

Mason and I have done our podcast thing again "Villain's Soliloquy: #32" in which we discuss the current happenings in Bleach, Toriko, and Fairy Tail. We also talk a little about the current line-up in Weekly Shounen Jump because a lot of people out in Tumblr land are wondering what might replace Naruto now that it's ended. I did actual research about this, so you know...

It might sound a bit choppy this time because I ended up editing out a lot of us shuffling around trying to find things. So, if you're wondering about that, that's what it's about. Because all THREE of you are probably deeply concerned.

Deeply.



Beyond that, here is another reminder to local folks that if you want to come hear me read, I'll be doing a rapid-fire type reading thing at Acadia Cafe on Sunday (Nov. 9) from noon to 3 pm. I'm still not sure what I'll read, but it'll be something I'm working on.

My folks are coming up for a visit today, so I dragged some things up to the attic. For a brief moment, I lost Ms. Ball (our black-and-white) cat up there for a while (I think she was investigating the various squirrel nests.) But, she came back down eventually. She's very social and is our number one lap cat, so it was cold and unfriendly up there. Now her face whiskers are covered in dust.

I should do the dishes and other fussing about so that I'm ready.  Although it looks like I forgot to let you know that a new School for Wayward Demons is up, too:  Devil in the Details.  It's a short one, but we make up for it with AMAZING art by Alexis Cooke.  So you absolutely must check that out.

See you later!

Fiction... Come and Get your Piping Hot Fiction!

So, I've got some fiction for 'ya! Come get your pipping hot fiction!

First up is the continuing saga of UnJust Cause. This episode is called, "Why Did the Centaur Cross the Road?" The answer is: he didn't. He started to, but got hit by a car before he made it. Now, Jack and Alex (who, if you recall, were taken off the jumper/drop-victim case) are sent to investigate what happened.

After reading that, you can make your way over to the School for Wayward Demons and read: Theo Uncovers Secrets! with an illustration by Mandie!

Treasure Trove

Just for fun today, I decided to look through that folder that I think every writer must have on their computer, the folder of stuff that never got more than a couple of pages.  In my case, it's called "Novel Starts" but it could just as well be called "Sh*t I Never Finished" or "Ideas that Died on the Vine."

I have a similar file for short story ideas that I never finished, too.

But, by chance, I came across a keeper today.  Possibly two.  They both involve thieves, strangely enough.  The first one I called "Coyote Moon" and here's a teaser from its owning....

According to the thermometer on the outside of Allie Red Hawk's pressure suit the moon's surface clocked in at xx°. Except for the temperature, the flat, white expanse reminded her North Dakota in the winter. The horizon came up too soon, but there was the same familiar, bone-crushing sense that the sky could swallow you whole.

 Obviously, I still ended to do some research because I wasn't sure what the surface temperature of the Moon was.  What's cool about this bit, is that it actually goes on for at least twenty-five pages, which is a sample chapter.  So, if I decided to return to this one, there's a lot of material to work with.

The other one starts like this (and is from a novel start I called "To Catch a Gene Thief"):

The first thing I noticed about the man laying face-down on the floor was that he was missing three fingers. Both pinkies were gone, and part of a ring finger. The scars looked like ritual yubitsume, which screamed yakuza, as did the brightly detailed tattoo curling around his wrists. Then it dawned on me that he was dead. As if finding yakuza here wasn't bad enough, he had to be dead?

This one has almost sixty-one pages, so, dang, that makes me happy.  I have things to play with if I want to work something up for a novel sample!

Tell me, which one is your favorite?