Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Superhero Tournament!!! Second Round - DC Villains
Here's our second round of DC Villains! Two Big upsets in this round!!
Major upsets!!! Doomsday was a lock to advance. So was Joker. Penguin is a tough villain, but Joker is in a class all by himself. Catwoman never had a chance against Black Adam. Then, the major upset!!!! Bizzaro should have trounced Poison Ivy, but he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She plants one on him and he is befuddled. A number 13 takes down a number 4! Sinestro flattens Deathstroke. Boomerang (actually Captain Boomerang) is powerless before Brainiac. Then the infamous 10 seed/ 7 seed upset. Bane does not match Metallo in power, but more than makes up for it in strategy. Bane advances. Finally, Lex Luthor leaves Captain Cold out in the...cold.
Superhero Tournament!!! Second Round - DC Heroes
Second round of DC Heroes is up! Commentary below.
No huge surprises here. Superman easily polishes off Robin. Batman and Captain Atom are a close match-up but ultimately Bats prevails with a combination of ninja-like skills, gadgets, strategy and general bad-assness. Green Lantern has it all over Blue Beetle and Hawkman is no match for Martian Manhunter (even with his fear of fire). Nightwing almost pulls off the upset. All he has to do is chain her wristbands together, but she has been training for hand-to-hand combat forever so I think Nightwing goes down. Breathing underwater and talking to sea like will not help Aquaman against Captain Marvel (Shazam to some of you). Firestorm can't hit what he can't see and Flash is just a blur and advances. Dr. Fate is the world's best sorceror and Green Arrow is hoplessly outclassed in this match up.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Superhero Tournament!!! Marvel Super Villains
We posted our DC Heroes and our DC Villains brackets. We posted our Marvel Super Heroes, now here's our Marvel Villains bracket. Whose the baddest of the bad?
Superhero Tournament!!! Marvel Superheroes
We posted our DC Heroes and DC Villains first round tournament brackets! Now get ready! Here's the Marvel Heroes match-up!
Superhero Tournament!!! First round DC Villains.
If you missed the first round of DC Heroes, click here. Otherwise, see our DC Villains bracket below
Superhero Tournament!!! First round DC Heroes.
Taking a stab at a Superhero Tournament, inspired by the NCAA tournament. 3 more brackets to follow (DC Villains, Marvel Heroes, Marvel Villains)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Hottest Comic Book Ladies
Check out Rankers ranking of the sexiest female comic book characters.
Feel free to weigh in. Personally, I feel Starfire was waaaay too far down the list.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Ten Things That The Guys and I Are Excited About
- Tron: Uprising (Animated Series from Disney)
- Camelot (New series from Starz)
- Game of Thrones (New Series from HBO based on George RR Martin's novels)
- Red Riding Hood (Looks like a werewolf take on the Red Riding Hood story)
- Sucker Punch (Awesome looking new flick directed by Zack Snyder of Watchmen fame)
- Thor (the movie)
- Captain America (movie)
- Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (Animated movie)
- Dragon Age II (Video Game)
- Gears of War 3 (Video Game - Note: The BETA is starting in April for those who are interested)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Fuzzy Wuzzy Wuz He?
I'm having trouble lately with my "was, were" usage. I never thought about it too much before, but I heard an editor speaking the other day and he commented that he could tell an amateur writer by his (or her) use of was and were. He counted them up and if there were more than...I don't remember the number...like 4-8 I think...on a page, then he wrote the writer off as a newb!
I'm concerned about my use of "was" and "were" now.
I wish I knew more about this. Guess I have some reading to do...
Here's a clip of some current writing (warning - I have not editted this so it is raw Gates)
"The sight of Hadrian’s Wall always amazed Taliesin. He stared in awe as they approached. It had been visible now for hours, but as they got closer, it seemed to grow taller and taller.
“First time seeing the wall, bard?” Lamorak asked.
“No,” Taliesin replied. “I have been here before, but it still amazes me.”
“You have been above the wall?” Lamorak asked.
“No,” Taliesin said.
“Then why would you come here? Just to see it? Are you an Engineer as well?”
“As a bard, I travel a great deal,” Taliesin said. “I wanted to see the very line that divided the civilized world from barbarism.”
“Is that what the wall does?” Lamorak asked.
“According to the Romans,” Taliesin said.
“I live above the wall,” Gawain said where he rode close by. “I hardly find it to be barbaric. Rough maybe. The North requires hardy people, but it’s not as uncivilized as the Romans thought.”
“Not everyone thinks so highly of Roman ‘civilization’ anyway,” Morgan said with a smile.
“What can we expect above the wall, Gawain?” Arthur asked.
“It’s hard to say, Arthur,” Gawain replied. “When we traveled from Lothian, we traveled with an army. I saw the roads and the towns along the roads, but I have not ventured into the wilds much, except on hunting trips.”
“I have traveled the North extensively, Arthur,” Merlin said. “The people there are people like everywhere else. They are proud of their lands and they are fearful of outsiders. The project an image of ferocity and barbarism to keep you from wanting to ride through the gates of Hadrian’s Wall. They are not monsters and they don’t eat babies.”
“So there are no monsters above the wall?” Taliesin asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Merlin replied.
Taliesin looked at the aged wizard and wondered, not for the first time, just what mysteries Merlin had seen in his years.
The Wall loomed ahead, almost obscured through a falling snow that almost made it look like a ship coming out of the fog. The Milecastles could be seen by the flickering torches and fires that warmed the soldiers there. Directly ahead of Arthur’s party was a large fort, Aesica or “Great Chesters”
The smell of the wood fires drifted across the road and it carried with it the smell of roasting meat. Taliesin’s stomach grumbled. After weeks on the road, the thought of a fort and a well appointed kitchen struck his fancy.
“Smells good, eh?” Arthur said. “Perhaps we’ll eat better than the black bread and stew we have eaten at the way stations along the road.”
“I would like a bath and a bed,” Morgan said.
I would like to join you, Taliesin thought, but he didn’t give words to this thoughts. Morgan had been ignoring him more lately and he wondered if she was finished with him. It hurt him to think she might be. He was very fond of the learned priestess.
“Look, someone’s coming,” Merlin said, pointing up the road towards Aesica.
A pair of figures were riding towards Arthur’s party. They would surely have recognized the Pendragon standard that Bors held aloft.
“I believe it’s Lucan,” Arthur said. “I don’t recognize the man he is with, though he looks like a Ranger. Not one of Alymere’s Ghost, though.”
Arthur was right. It was Lucan, Bedivere’s half brother and second in command of The Bulls.
“I wonder if he found Bedivere like I asked?” Arthur wondered aloud.
Lucan was dressed in his armored finery as befitted a cavalry officer. His breastplate was polished, his boiled leather was shiny and neat. His blue cape floated behind him as he rode. He wore no helmet, letting his long blonde hair flow behind him. The resemblance to Bedivere was clearly visible and Taliesin saw Morgan watching the approaching warrior. Taliesin thought he saw admiration for Lucan in Morgan’s eyes and Lucan was truly a fine specimen, like his half-brother. Taliesin felt the hot stab of jealousy. "
I included a section where I described a character - in this case Lucan. See what you think
I'm concerned about my use of "was" and "were" now.
I wish I knew more about this. Guess I have some reading to do...
Here's a clip of some current writing (warning - I have not editted this so it is raw Gates)
"The sight of Hadrian’s Wall always amazed Taliesin. He stared in awe as they approached. It had been visible now for hours, but as they got closer, it seemed to grow taller and taller.
“First time seeing the wall, bard?” Lamorak asked.
“No,” Taliesin replied. “I have been here before, but it still amazes me.”
“You have been above the wall?” Lamorak asked.
“No,” Taliesin said.
“Then why would you come here? Just to see it? Are you an Engineer as well?”
“As a bard, I travel a great deal,” Taliesin said. “I wanted to see the very line that divided the civilized world from barbarism.”
“Is that what the wall does?” Lamorak asked.
“According to the Romans,” Taliesin said.
“I live above the wall,” Gawain said where he rode close by. “I hardly find it to be barbaric. Rough maybe. The North requires hardy people, but it’s not as uncivilized as the Romans thought.”
“Not everyone thinks so highly of Roman ‘civilization’ anyway,” Morgan said with a smile.
“What can we expect above the wall, Gawain?” Arthur asked.
“It’s hard to say, Arthur,” Gawain replied. “When we traveled from Lothian, we traveled with an army. I saw the roads and the towns along the roads, but I have not ventured into the wilds much, except on hunting trips.”
“I have traveled the North extensively, Arthur,” Merlin said. “The people there are people like everywhere else. They are proud of their lands and they are fearful of outsiders. The project an image of ferocity and barbarism to keep you from wanting to ride through the gates of Hadrian’s Wall. They are not monsters and they don’t eat babies.”
“So there are no monsters above the wall?” Taliesin asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Merlin replied.
Taliesin looked at the aged wizard and wondered, not for the first time, just what mysteries Merlin had seen in his years.
The Wall loomed ahead, almost obscured through a falling snow that almost made it look like a ship coming out of the fog. The Milecastles could be seen by the flickering torches and fires that warmed the soldiers there. Directly ahead of Arthur’s party was a large fort, Aesica or “Great Chesters”
The smell of the wood fires drifted across the road and it carried with it the smell of roasting meat. Taliesin’s stomach grumbled. After weeks on the road, the thought of a fort and a well appointed kitchen struck his fancy.
“Smells good, eh?” Arthur said. “Perhaps we’ll eat better than the black bread and stew we have eaten at the way stations along the road.”
“I would like a bath and a bed,” Morgan said.
I would like to join you, Taliesin thought, but he didn’t give words to this thoughts. Morgan had been ignoring him more lately and he wondered if she was finished with him. It hurt him to think she might be. He was very fond of the learned priestess.
“Look, someone’s coming,” Merlin said, pointing up the road towards Aesica.
A pair of figures were riding towards Arthur’s party. They would surely have recognized the Pendragon standard that Bors held aloft.
“I believe it’s Lucan,” Arthur said. “I don’t recognize the man he is with, though he looks like a Ranger. Not one of Alymere’s Ghost, though.”
Arthur was right. It was Lucan, Bedivere’s half brother and second in command of The Bulls.
“I wonder if he found Bedivere like I asked?” Arthur wondered aloud.
Lucan was dressed in his armored finery as befitted a cavalry officer. His breastplate was polished, his boiled leather was shiny and neat. His blue cape floated behind him as he rode. He wore no helmet, letting his long blonde hair flow behind him. The resemblance to Bedivere was clearly visible and Taliesin saw Morgan watching the approaching warrior. Taliesin thought he saw admiration for Lucan in Morgan’s eyes and Lucan was truly a fine specimen, like his half-brother. Taliesin felt the hot stab of jealousy. "
I included a section where I described a character - in this case Lucan. See what you think
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Flight of the Sorceress
As some of you know, I have an ongoing magnum opus that I hope will one day be a grand retelling of the Arthurian Legend, but using aspects that are familiar to modern fantasy readers (Dragons, Dwarves, Fireballs).
My Arthurian setting is ~500 AD so I was very interested in Barry Willdorf's historical ficiton novel set in a similar time frame, especially when I read that it featured some of the disagreements between Imperial Rome, Christianity, Celts, Jews and other social issues of the day (and arguably of today as well)
so, I picked up the novel and after finishing up "Bitter Seeds" recently (Great book!!), I dove into "The Flight of the Sorceress".
It is far, far better than I hade even expected. I had not read anything of Mr. Willdorf's before so I did not know what to expect. Here is what I got.
- The historical research is fantastic! And the settings just "breathe" they are so real. And you get to see more than just the British Isles (trying to avoid any spoilers).
- The characters are so well developed and my heart bleeds for them during their travails.
- the heroines are plucky, to say the least, but in extremely admirable ways that never cross the line into annoying.
The book has been educational for me, as a student of the period, but even more than that, it is a really exciting and engaging book and one that I highly recommend!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Weekend Geekitude Update
Had a really great weekend. Thought I would update you on a lot of stuff!
I posted some movie trailers over on the Facebook page. Lot of cool looking stuff coming out.
I watched a few movies:
I finished "Bitter Seeds" by Ian Tregillis. Nazi superheroes versus British Warlocks in an alternate history WWII. One word. Awesome!
I finished "Black Wolf #: Metal Monsters of Doom from Granton City Press. Pulp action at its best. This book rocked. I put a more detailed review up on Amazon.
I started "Decision Points" by George W. Bush. Not to wax political, but I will say this - the book is really good. I like to read books by Presidents to get some notion of their views during the time they were in office. I'll keep my politics out of it and just say that I am enjoying the book.
I found a workbook for "Poke The Box" by Seth Godin (It's a free download, so go check it out!). It is a cool inspirational workbook to help encourage us to innovate, create, go, do!
Other stuff:
I cranked up playing Dragon Age: Origins on the Xbox. I want to play Dragon Age 2 when it comes out and I never finished the first game. I like RPGs on the consoles and this is one of the coolest.
My boys and I dusted off our tabletop RPG skills and played some Pathfinder RPG. I haven't done that in a long time, but my sons wanted to give it a try. Still a good time and they had a blast using their imaginations versus using a game controller.
I posted some movie trailers over on the Facebook page. Lot of cool looking stuff coming out.
I watched a few movies:
- Green Hornet - It was MUCH better than I expected
- Skyline - It was...okay. Impressive effects, since I heard they were done on a shoestring. Pretty predictable and a good amount of cheese. Fortunately, I don't mind cheese with my alien invasion flick.
- Tron: Legacy - Really, really cool. My only complaint - as a big fan of the original, I wanted to see more Tron, but at least he was in there. I guess since he is a 20 year old program he would be basically prehistoric in computer years.
- True Grit (2010) - This was my second time to see it. I love, love, love this movie.
I finished "Bitter Seeds" by Ian Tregillis. Nazi superheroes versus British Warlocks in an alternate history WWII. One word. Awesome!
I finished "Black Wolf #: Metal Monsters of Doom from Granton City Press. Pulp action at its best. This book rocked. I put a more detailed review up on Amazon.
I started "Decision Points" by George W. Bush. Not to wax political, but I will say this - the book is really good. I like to read books by Presidents to get some notion of their views during the time they were in office. I'll keep my politics out of it and just say that I am enjoying the book.
I found a workbook for "Poke The Box" by Seth Godin (It's a free download, so go check it out!). It is a cool inspirational workbook to help encourage us to innovate, create, go, do!
Other stuff:
I cranked up playing Dragon Age: Origins on the Xbox. I want to play Dragon Age 2 when it comes out and I never finished the first game. I like RPGs on the consoles and this is one of the coolest.
My boys and I dusted off our tabletop RPG skills and played some Pathfinder RPG. I haven't done that in a long time, but my sons wanted to give it a try. Still a good time and they had a blast using their imaginations versus using a game controller.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Poke The Box!
If this book doesn't convince you that there is not time like the present to go.do.something. Anything. Make a change. Make some noise!
I love some of the quotes like "Soon is not as good as right now"
And "Reject the tyranny of picked. Pick yourself" (applies very well to creatives).
Can I sum up the book in one sentence? I'll try:
What is that think you would do for free and for the rest of your life if you had the opportunity to do it. Go. Do that thing now.
GGE's interpretation: What does that mean for me and GGE? We keep on keeping on.We need to accelerate our rate of completion. We have a lot of projects going on, but we don't have a lot "out there". I am committed to changing that. We may have so many projects as a way to protect ourselves from the fear of getting on "out there" and risking rejection. The good news for us is we are 1) immune to rejection. We ALL are. It's rarely fatal. and 2) GGE has the resources to produce products (Hint: We ALL do. More now than ever before). So there's no reason not to produce something. Makes me very happy that I launched our Sanction blog.
Monday, February 28, 2011
ALL PULP: FORTIER'S ALL PULP REVIEWS GETS WESTERN AND MYSTIC...
ALL PULP: FORTIER'S ALL PULP REVIEWS GETS WESTERN AND MYSTIC...: "MERKABAH RIDERBy Edward M. ErdelacDamnation Books LLC278 pagesDec. 2009ISBN 10 – 161572060XISBN 13 - 978-1615720606 Although the strai..."
Check out this western/mystic/gothic story! Reviewed for us by Ron Fortier of All Pulp. I had not heard of this, but after reading this review, I have to have it! Fits well with the cross genre flavor that GGE enjoys so much! My reading list is a bit full at the moment, but it's going on there as soon as I finish this post!
Check out this western/mystic/gothic story! Reviewed for us by Ron Fortier of All Pulp. I had not heard of this, but after reading this review, I have to have it! Fits well with the cross genre flavor that GGE enjoys so much! My reading list is a bit full at the moment, but it's going on there as soon as I finish this post!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Weekend Movie Update
So, I watched "Hancock" again this weekend. I love that movie. I was on the treadmill, flipped on FX and there it was. I think Hancock should be in the top ten of all superhero movies. On a related note, IMDB reports Hancock: the sequel has a release of 2013 yet Perez Hilton says it is on hold. Personally, I loved it and would love to see a sequel, but some movies stand fine when they stand alone.
I also watched "Megamind" this weekend. I thought it was fantastic. I thought it was a worthy successor to "The Incredibles" in that it was funny, beautifully done, had a superb cast and played really well of the superhero mythos. This one rocked.
The big disappointment this weekend was "All-Star Superman". I thought this one would be awesome. I love Superman and this story sounded great, but it was just a bit weak to me. I was hoping for a whole lot more, but it left a lot to be desired. Now I know the 12 issue comic series was written by legends and won an Eisner and all that, but "award winning" doesn't always mean "awesome".
Having said that, I will make my usual plea for both Superman and Megamind. If you are a comic book fan and love seeing superhero movies, then go spend money on these films. Either rent them or buy them. Even dropping $1 at the redbox on them helps because it tells Hollywood that we like superhero movies. Vote with your dollars to get more of the movies we enjoy!
I also watched "Megamind" this weekend. I thought it was fantastic. I thought it was a worthy successor to "The Incredibles" in that it was funny, beautifully done, had a superb cast and played really well of the superhero mythos. This one rocked.
The big disappointment this weekend was "All-Star Superman". I thought this one would be awesome. I love Superman and this story sounded great, but it was just a bit weak to me. I was hoping for a whole lot more, but it left a lot to be desired. Now I know the 12 issue comic series was written by legends and won an Eisner and all that, but "award winning" doesn't always mean "awesome".
Having said that, I will make my usual plea for both Superman and Megamind. If you are a comic book fan and love seeing superhero movies, then go spend money on these films. Either rent them or buy them. Even dropping $1 at the redbox on them helps because it tells Hollywood that we like superhero movies. Vote with your dollars to get more of the movies we enjoy!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
History
So, I filed GGE's annual report this morning. GGE has been in existence for almost 3 years! Wow...
On the one hand, I thought we would have more accomplished by now.
On the other hand, I have to give us some credit. We have a website, a blog, an ongoing serialized story, a contract with a publisher, three other books written, a comic book in production and a licensing agreement with a roleplaying game distribution company. We also have a newly inked deal with Alleycat comics to be the retail distribution arm of GGE properties.
I am mainly hapy that we are 1) still in existence and 2) making progress (even if it is slow progress)
When I filed my copy of our annual report, I saw a note from 2008 that read "start a GGE blog, not about GGE but about GGE and the industry as a whole. Talk about all the things we like as "geeks" Superheroes, zombies, fantasy movies, etc"
I would say we fulfilled that one!
On the one hand, I thought we would have more accomplished by now.
On the other hand, I have to give us some credit. We have a website, a blog, an ongoing serialized story, a contract with a publisher, three other books written, a comic book in production and a licensing agreement with a roleplaying game distribution company. We also have a newly inked deal with Alleycat comics to be the retail distribution arm of GGE properties.
I am mainly hapy that we are 1) still in existence and 2) making progress (even if it is slow progress)
When I filed my copy of our annual report, I saw a note from 2008 that read "start a GGE blog, not about GGE but about GGE and the industry as a whole. Talk about all the things we like as "geeks" Superheroes, zombies, fantasy movies, etc"
I would say we fulfilled that one!
Friday, February 25, 2011
ALL PULP: ANOTHER GUEST REVIEW THIS WEEK-HALEGUA LOOKS AT PL...
I have read all of the Sentinel titles and really, really like them! And check out the awesome cover art! I've always loved the covers of the Sentinel series.
ALL PULP: ANOTHER GUEST REVIEW THIS WEEK-HALEGUA LOOKS AT PL...: "Review of Sentinels Vols. 1-3 by Mark S. Halegua Intrigue, humor, paranormal humans, aliens, androids, paranormal aliens, robots, myster..."
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Alleycat Comics
Years ago, I was part owner of AlleyCat Comics and More, a small comic book store in Chattanooga, TN. It was a lot of fun, but ultimately underfunded I suppose.
I ended up moving away from Chattanooga and thus became a very small part of AlleyCat. It eventually went the wy of the dinosaur much to my chagrin.
AlleyCat as an organization still exists, however, and I have been talking to my previous partners about making AlleyCat the retail branch of GGE.
Why would I do this? Well, for one reason AlleyCat already has a god relationship with distributors. It would be nice to not have to start over with distributors. Also, the name, logo and mascot were really cool and I would like to use them again.
So why would you do this now? GGE doesn't have any products to sell? Are you opening a comic book store again? GGE doesn't have products to sell...yet. We will and when we do, I don't want to be scrambling to have our own outlet. I am not opening a comic book store...yet. I will within 2-3 years though. I want to get started planning it now rather than the way I did it last time. We went from planning to implementation in about 3 months and our lack of preparedness showed!
So what will be different this time? We will be more patient. We will be mroe careful about product mix. We will focus on delighting customers rather than making money off of them. We will travel to cons. We will have a stronger internet side of the business. We will set up our brick and mortar location as an event center. Brick and Mortar retail is weakening, but it is still a great place to meet and interact (and game)
I ended up moving away from Chattanooga and thus became a very small part of AlleyCat. It eventually went the wy of the dinosaur much to my chagrin.
AlleyCat as an organization still exists, however, and I have been talking to my previous partners about making AlleyCat the retail branch of GGE.
Why would I do this? Well, for one reason AlleyCat already has a god relationship with distributors. It would be nice to not have to start over with distributors. Also, the name, logo and mascot were really cool and I would like to use them again.
So why would you do this now? GGE doesn't have any products to sell? Are you opening a comic book store again? GGE doesn't have products to sell...yet. We will and when we do, I don't want to be scrambling to have our own outlet. I am not opening a comic book store...yet. I will within 2-3 years though. I want to get started planning it now rather than the way I did it last time. We went from planning to implementation in about 3 months and our lack of preparedness showed!
So what will be different this time? We will be more patient. We will be mroe careful about product mix. We will focus on delighting customers rather than making money off of them. We will travel to cons. We will have a stronger internet side of the business. We will set up our brick and mortar location as an event center. Brick and Mortar retail is weakening, but it is still a great place to meet and interact (and game)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
ConNooga 2011
I also posted a little about Bobby Nash last year. If you are not familiar with Bobby, check out his work (BTW, congrats to Bobby on recently signing a publishing deal wih New Babel Books.
Bobby didn't make it this year, but I did meet and talk to some other great writers.
This year, I was happy to spend time with
- Sean Taylor (who I've been a fan of for a long time)
- Stephen Zimmer (who is an exceptional writer)
- Ed Crandell (creator of the very cool Westworld trilogy and a super nice guy!)
- D.A. Adams (who wrote two books about Dwarves...GGE loves Dwarves)
And I was happy to make the acquaintance of Michael D'Ambrosia and Allen Gilbreath.
Meeting other authors, writers and creators is always so inspiring to me! This year was no exception.
Other than that, my sons had a great time at the con with roleplaying, card gaming, and the cool programs like "Makeup Wars" (think horror makeup, not maybelline). They have a great kids program too. One of this year's events was making foam swords and then beating each other with them. That is very kid-centric and they loved it! In fact, I wouldn't have minded beating some people with a foam sword.
So I know that DragonCon is everyone's premiere con, but I want to put in a plug for Con Nooga. Great con. Big enough to kick ass, but small enough to feel personal. Lots of great events. Fantastic location and there is a great brewpub next door! (I recommend their wheat beer!)
If you have never been to Con Nooga, put it on your Con Calendar. It's held at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, which is a great tourist attraction by itself, but the whole city is surrounded by fun things to do and most are accessible via the free solar powered shuttle that leaves every half hour from the Choo Choo. Tres cool!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Pricing and Your Art
How do you price art? It's always interesting and I think we all know about "starving artists" so we know lots of people who realize that artists rarely get rich form their art. Some do, no doubt, but more often we don't even make a living from our art. We have other sources of income that, thankfuly, allow us to produce art.
Seth talks about pricing in his blog today and I like what he says. We don't want to race to the bottom of the pricing issue. We want to price our work for what it's worth. Maybe it should be free? It's probably not worth what we think, not yet anyway.
Why not? We don't have a long list of delighted customers who will pay to consume everything we produce. Joe Abercrombie will always get my dollars because he has proven to me that his writing will always delight me.
I can say this, I went online (via my Kindle) yesterday to buy four books from authors I know that I like. One waas $5.99, two were $2.99 and one was $18.99. I didn't buy the $18.99 Kindle edition though I eagerly snapped up the others. Maybe knowing what your worth and pricing accordingly is absolutely priceless.
Seth talks about pricing in his blog today and I like what he says. We don't want to race to the bottom of the pricing issue. We want to price our work for what it's worth. Maybe it should be free? It's probably not worth what we think, not yet anyway.
Why not? We don't have a long list of delighted customers who will pay to consume everything we produce. Joe Abercrombie will always get my dollars because he has proven to me that his writing will always delight me.
I can say this, I went online (via my Kindle) yesterday to buy four books from authors I know that I like. One waas $5.99, two were $2.99 and one was $18.99. I didn't buy the $18.99 Kindle edition though I eagerly snapped up the others. Maybe knowing what your worth and pricing accordingly is absolutely priceless.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Highly Recommended!!
It changed the way I think about a lot of things. It changed the way I think about security, privacy, the Department of Homeland Security, Civil Liberty and Freedom of Speech. It also reminded me that freedom isn't free!
How could it do all of that?
The books is extremely well written. It is exciting. It is believable. It is just engrossing. The events in the book could absolutely happen tomorrow and they are as terrifying as anything I have ever read!
The plot, in a nutshell (no spoilers) is that terrorists attack San Francisco and in the resulting aftermath, the citizens of San Fran end up losing a lot of their civil liberties under the guise of "protection" and "security". In the book, it is very clear how the world could get caught up in being "safe" and end up attacking civil liberties in the process.
I learned a lot from the book too. I learned a lot about cryptology, security, the history of some radical movements, but mainly I learned that I am a bit too complacent about invasion of privacy and removal of freedoms such as free speech.
I have told myself that a little invasion of privacy is no big deal, because I have nothing to hide. I act normal. If, however, normal suddenly became suspect, I wouldn't like it very much. I guess I'm saying that I like the freedom to act a little out of the norm occasionally.
I think Cory has just the right mix here. Good writing, great characters and a subject he is both passionate and knowledgeable about!
So, anyway I highly recommend "Little Brother". It might open our eyes about some things. It should, at the very least, make you think. And the worst case scenario? You read a really good book with a cool plot and a very likable hero.
Best of all, if you don't want to support Cory or you can't swing the change, you can download the book for free.
You can't lose.
Big Plans!
I am cutting and pasting the text below directly from Seth Godin's blog post today! I makes total sense to me!
Make big plans
...that's the best way to make big things happen.
Write down your plans. Share them with trusted colleagues. Seek out team members and accomplices.
Shun the non-believers. They won't be easily convinced, but they can be ignored.
Is there any doubt that making big plans increases the chances that something great will happen?
Is there any doubt that we need your art and your contribution?
Why then, are you hesitating to make big plans?
Of course, after the big plans, we need two steps:
- Act!
- Finish something
Monday, February 14, 2011
Connection
Maybe a mistake to make a late night post, but I get pensive late at night. Anyone else do that?
I don't know why I feel the need to confess this, but I'm a pretty sensitive guy. I really dislike mean people. I really find hate to be distasteful and sometimes it seems like hate is growing when it should really be shrinking.
At times, I feel like my neighbors, colleagues, relatives, etc are more focused on who and what they hate than on the beauty of life and the miracle each one of us truly are!
It's true. You are a miracle. I am a miracle. The person you can't stand? Guess what, they are a miracle to and if they are not beautiful right now, then they have the capacity to be and whether they know it or not, they are exactly like they should be. As Pink says, they are f**cking perfect (and so are you!).
I really value everyone who reads these words. Not because I crave attention, but because I crave connection. It's what the internet has brought to me. I hope it bring something meaningful to you.
Hate is not meaningful. Not in a positive way. It's a destructive force.
I don't know why I feel the need to confess this, but I'm a pretty sensitive guy. I really dislike mean people. I really find hate to be distasteful and sometimes it seems like hate is growing when it should really be shrinking.
At times, I feel like my neighbors, colleagues, relatives, etc are more focused on who and what they hate than on the beauty of life and the miracle each one of us truly are!
It's true. You are a miracle. I am a miracle. The person you can't stand? Guess what, they are a miracle to and if they are not beautiful right now, then they have the capacity to be and whether they know it or not, they are exactly like they should be. As Pink says, they are f**cking perfect (and so are you!).
I really value everyone who reads these words. Not because I crave attention, but because I crave connection. It's what the internet has brought to me. I hope it bring something meaningful to you.
Hate is not meaningful. Not in a positive way. It's a destructive force.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Kiss your sweetie! Buy some Chocolates! It's Valentine's Day! Is it a manufactured holiday? Maybe. Who cares. It's a day to celebrate love, show your sweetie you care about them, and maybe talk your way into some action in the bedroom. What's not to like!
Great weekend at GGE. Getting ready to head to Chattanooga in 4 days for ConNooga (I guess in the South I should say that I'm "fixin' to go to Chattanooga" - I'm from the South, hence the reason I feel free to make fun). I did some running and started a marathon training plan that should culminate in a marathon on or around Halloween. I did plenty of writing on Sanction. Some planning for Pendragon and Stitch. Green is busily reviewing/editting The Warchitect and Return To Glory and Danger Guild is being drawn as I type. All good stuff!
It's good to be busy.
Great weekend at GGE. Getting ready to head to Chattanooga in 4 days for ConNooga (I guess in the South I should say that I'm "fixin' to go to Chattanooga" - I'm from the South, hence the reason I feel free to make fun). I did some running and started a marathon training plan that should culminate in a marathon on or around Halloween. I did plenty of writing on Sanction. Some planning for Pendragon and Stitch. Green is busily reviewing/editting The Warchitect and Return To Glory and Danger Guild is being drawn as I type. All good stuff!
It's good to be busy.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Fright Club: A TASK IS ASKED
Got a cool invite to a blog called "Fright Club". Cool layout. There are 49 followers (Frighters). Sounds like they want at least 50. Then we vote on cool things (like Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Campbell). Also there is a mention of Blog Wars. Don't know what that is, but sounds cool. The first rule is to not talk about fright club...but then the "task is asked" tab said to post something about it on my blog. So...I went with the notion that everyone likes more traffic...and voting on stuff is just more fun when the conversation grows!
But what's it intended to do?
So I read a great post by Seth Godin entitled, "What's the Use Case". In it, he discusses how it is impossible to judge a projects worth or completeness until we have decided and agreed on the "use case". There are two great reasons for this:
Probably not. I suspect the BEP's music is intended for 2 purposes and 2 purposes only.
So what is the Use Case of GGE's properties? What are we trying to do?
Simple, we are trying to write stories for fanboys like us, but we are trying to do it slightly better than it has been done before. We want shared origins for superheroes, superpowers that obey some rules, horror stories that obey some established rules, fantasy stories that kick ass and don't bore us to tears, characters that are familiar, funny and downright cool, artwork that impresses, and storylines that engage.
Not to much to ask, right?
- We can't agree if something meets the Use Case unless we have defined the use case
- We may not want that particular outcome, so we had better agree on the outcome we want.
Probably not. I suspect the BEP's music is intended for 2 purposes and 2 purposes only.
- Make people dance and bounce around in nightcluvs
- Sell a shitload of records
So what is the Use Case of GGE's properties? What are we trying to do?
Simple, we are trying to write stories for fanboys like us, but we are trying to do it slightly better than it has been done before. We want shared origins for superheroes, superpowers that obey some rules, horror stories that obey some established rules, fantasy stories that kick ass and don't bore us to tears, characters that are familiar, funny and downright cool, artwork that impresses, and storylines that engage.
Not to much to ask, right?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Machete
How does Rodriguez do this? He makes these movies that look like movies from my youth that I thought were so awesome, but were in fact, a bit cheesy and campy. He does this so that it seems like the movie takes itself 100% seriously, but it has some pretty unreal moments, but somehow he never crosses the line. I not only watch it without ever thinking about turning off the Blu Ray...I devour it. I love it! It's a great couple of hours of total escapism.
I don't know how one strikes such a perfect balance of seriousness and cheese, but he does it. It doesn't hurt that I have always loved Danny Trejo. Probably the most convincing "bad ass" actor I know of. Although Tom Savini is a close second (and he's also in the film)
Oh yeah - other great reasons to see the movie? Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and even Lindsey Lohan.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Metahumans rock Egypt!
I would not mind terribly if you wanted to check out the writing I have been doing on my newly formed Sanction blog.
Sanction is one of GGE's created metahuman team and I have been writing a serial about their exploits in today's society using real events.
Right now, the Beta Team of Sanction is in Egypt at the behest of The Office of Metahuman Affairs (OMA) walking a thin line between protecting President Hosni Mubarak, a US ally, but a thirty year autocrat (some say dictator) and supporting the protestor's idea of a free and democratic Egypt. Of course, a free and democratic Egypt might not elect a government the US would like!
Sanction is embroiled in the highly volatile politics of the region and also trying to protect themselves from the world's first metahuman extremist group, Winter Jihad!
Sanction is one of GGE's created metahuman team and I have been writing a serial about their exploits in today's society using real events.
Right now, the Beta Team of Sanction is in Egypt at the behest of The Office of Metahuman Affairs (OMA) walking a thin line between protecting President Hosni Mubarak, a US ally, but a thirty year autocrat (some say dictator) and supporting the protestor's idea of a free and democratic Egypt. Of course, a free and democratic Egypt might not elect a government the US would like!
Sanction is embroiled in the highly volatile politics of the region and also trying to protect themselves from the world's first metahuman extremist group, Winter Jihad!
The Watcher of Yaathagggu
Very cool Lovecraftian-inspired online comic. Updated weekly (and they've never missed an update).
I'll be reading it!
BTW, I love that they've never missed an update! They made that commitment to their readers and they've stuck by it. Seems simple, right? Things happen and get in the way, but they decided this was important to them and their readers and in a world where there is so much competition for people's attention, keeping small agreements like this can become wildly important.
Bravo!
I'll be reading it!
BTW, I love that they've never missed an update! They made that commitment to their readers and they've stuck by it. Seems simple, right? Things happen and get in the way, but they decided this was important to them and their readers and in a world where there is so much competition for people's attention, keeping small agreements like this can become wildly important.
Bravo!
Writing your first novel
So I've already written my first novel, and my second, and my third, but that doesn't mean I don't still love to leanr how other people write. I still have a ton to learn myself!
Joanna Penn, the author of Pentecost, has a great entry in her blog about writing your first novel.
One of the pieces of advice I love is to write the first draft as quickly as possible, then focus on the rewrite.
I have long said "Get it written, then get it right". That first draft is hard to find time for. It interrupts our lives. It feels pointless at times, but once it is down, then you have written a freakn' book! Polishing it feels less fruitless and more like meaningful work.
Joanna Penn, the author of Pentecost, has a great entry in her blog about writing your first novel.
One of the pieces of advice I love is to write the first draft as quickly as possible, then focus on the rewrite.
I have long said "Get it written, then get it right". That first draft is hard to find time for. It interrupts our lives. It feels pointless at times, but once it is down, then you have written a freakn' book! Polishing it feels less fruitless and more like meaningful work.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tweeting, Blogging, Facebook and more
I know that it is so easy to get totally caugh up in social media and networking these days. It can be totally addictive as I am learning myself.
One thing I am trying to avoid is putting the same entries in all my online spaces, meaning I don't tweet abot the same things I put on my blog. And I try not to put the same htings on FB that go on the other two spaces. And the Green Gates website is an entity all on its own.
I don't know if that is the right way to use social media or not. I don't know if there is a "right" way but I want people to enjoy visiting all of the places I spend time, not just feel like each one is a slightly different version of the same daily stuff.
One thing I am trying to avoid is putting the same entries in all my online spaces, meaning I don't tweet abot the same things I put on my blog. And I try not to put the same htings on FB that go on the other two spaces. And the Green Gates website is an entity all on its own.
I don't know if that is the right way to use social media or not. I don't know if there is a "right" way but I want people to enjoy visiting all of the places I spend time, not just feel like each one is a slightly different version of the same daily stuff.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Comic Book Movies
Loved watching the trailers for the upcoming comic book movies during the Super Bowl. It reminds me of an article I just read in GQ that talked about the state of film making in Hollywood and the reason we see so many sequels, prequels and movies based on past properties.
The thought in Hollywood right now is that it is better to bet on an established property and capitalize on the fan base rather than gamble on something new. Established properties come with a ready-built fan base and then maybe you manage to grab some new fans along the way.
Sounds good to me. All the more reason to avoid stressing over writing the next great blockbuster. Just write something or draw something or start something and as Seth Godin says so often "ship!" which means deliver it in some format. Make it as good as you can make it and start building that fan base now. the best time to start was a couple of years ago. The second best time is today. (I also stole that from Seth)
The thought in Hollywood right now is that it is better to bet on an established property and capitalize on the fan base rather than gamble on something new. Established properties come with a ready-built fan base and then maybe you manage to grab some new fans along the way.
Sounds good to me. All the more reason to avoid stressing over writing the next great blockbuster. Just write something or draw something or start something and as Seth Godin says so often "ship!" which means deliver it in some format. Make it as good as you can make it and start building that fan base now. the best time to start was a couple of years ago. The second best time is today. (I also stole that from Seth)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sanction Files Released!
Finally started something I have been meaning to do forever! I started a new "fiction blog" over at Sanction Team.
The premise is that there is a single legally recognized Metahuman team in the United States and they go by the name "Sanction" since they have to be "sanctioned" by OMA (The Office of Metahuman Affairs) in order to operate and not be considered vigilantes.
The world is one in which there is a rich history of Metahuman involvement, but Sanction is a relatively recent government program.
So, the blog will "release" Sanction files (ala Wikileaks) that will basically tell the story of Sanction as it happens.
I am using current events as the storylines. I have wanted to do that for a long time. So, currently, one of Sanction's teams has been dispatched to Egypt to help evacuate Americans. We'll be following their time there.
On a separate note, I got the idea when teen sailor Abby Sunderland was lost at sea last June (she was found and was allright). During the time she was missing, I wanted us to have a real-live Superman to send out to find her. Of course we didn't (we had some French sailors though) but I decided right then that I would like to write certain events as I felt they should happen, which means we had superheroes to help us with them. My idea was strengthened by the Miners who were trapped last year and finally, I have made it a reality. So go check it out. The entries are short. Shouldn't take long to read and I plan on doing a nearly-daily update.
The premise is that there is a single legally recognized Metahuman team in the United States and they go by the name "Sanction" since they have to be "sanctioned" by OMA (The Office of Metahuman Affairs) in order to operate and not be considered vigilantes.
The world is one in which there is a rich history of Metahuman involvement, but Sanction is a relatively recent government program.
So, the blog will "release" Sanction files (ala Wikileaks) that will basically tell the story of Sanction as it happens.
I am using current events as the storylines. I have wanted to do that for a long time. So, currently, one of Sanction's teams has been dispatched to Egypt to help evacuate Americans. We'll be following their time there.
On a separate note, I got the idea when teen sailor Abby Sunderland was lost at sea last June (she was found and was allright). During the time she was missing, I wanted us to have a real-live Superman to send out to find her. Of course we didn't (we had some French sailors though) but I decided right then that I would like to write certain events as I felt they should happen, which means we had superheroes to help us with them. My idea was strengthened by the Miners who were trapped last year and finally, I have made it a reality. So go check it out. The entries are short. Shouldn't take long to read and I plan on doing a nearly-daily update.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Who do we write for?
Read an interesting article in GQ this morning that discussed the change in Hollywood movies and why producers stick with proven properties rather than risk something new, even though so risks really pay off (The Town, Inception).
So, they said of the main demographics (over and under 25 years of age, males and females). The main demographic was males under 25 years of age because they are the ones going to the movies reliably. Ok...that makes sense. I get the business side, but as an artist, do you continue making movies for the audience you have? If you want a new audience, don't you have to make a movie that they don't even know they want?
Hard to say.
It's the same with writing. Do you write what you think people want to read? Do you write what you like and hope there are others who like the same thing? Obviously you can't please everyone. And there are lots of markets. And art is great because there is room for everyone. Just because Terry Brooks writes great books doesn't mean that Terry Goodkind can't have his share of the market as well.
I am guessing you write what the inner voice tells you to. Maybe it sells and maybe it doesn't bu producing what is in your heart and soul is what makes it art. Producing what you think people want to consume seems more like marketing.
*Note - I'm not taking a stand against marketing or marketers, but I think for me, the order will be first produce art...then market.
So, they said of the main demographics (over and under 25 years of age, males and females). The main demographic was males under 25 years of age because they are the ones going to the movies reliably. Ok...that makes sense. I get the business side, but as an artist, do you continue making movies for the audience you have? If you want a new audience, don't you have to make a movie that they don't even know they want?
Hard to say.
It's the same with writing. Do you write what you think people want to read? Do you write what you like and hope there are others who like the same thing? Obviously you can't please everyone. And there are lots of markets. And art is great because there is room for everyone. Just because Terry Brooks writes great books doesn't mean that Terry Goodkind can't have his share of the market as well.
I am guessing you write what the inner voice tells you to. Maybe it sells and maybe it doesn't bu producing what is in your heart and soul is what makes it art. Producing what you think people want to consume seems more like marketing.
*Note - I'm not taking a stand against marketing or marketers, but I think for me, the order will be first produce art...then market.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Holding it together
Well, one month into 2011, and some things have gone great and some not so great. I have managed to keep my work out going, but I have also been living a bit of an indulgent lifestyle so while I have maintained my fitness, I have only dropped 1 pound of holiday weight. Then again, if I drop 1 pound a month, then by the end of the year, I will be thrilled and maybe I can move a little quicker than 1 pound a month if I get focused.
I have done better with school. Rolling along in school and inching closer to my Master's Degree, though it will still be a year or so (and I'm glad it will be - not ready to repay my student loan).
Writing has been minimal, unfortunately. I wrote some on my ever-evolving Pendragon Story. I made some notes for 2 metahuman stories, I sent all of the finished properties off to Green for editting. I did get some art going again on Danger Guild and I am hopeful that I can get that one moving. In fact, I feel better about DG now than I did last year so hopefully some samples will start to appear. Right now it looks like it will be a full length graphic novel in B&W though color might be an option. If not for the first release, then definitely as a re-release.
I have been reading a lot. I have kept up my regimen of 1 non-fiction and 1 fiction book at all times. Finished a couple so far. Almost finished with "Gates of Fire" (I don't think those 300 Spartans are going to make it!)
So, as I grade my first month of 2011, I would give myself a C+ or a B-. I need to up the writing and production of GGE properties and that would get me to at least a solid B or B+.
I have done better with school. Rolling along in school and inching closer to my Master's Degree, though it will still be a year or so (and I'm glad it will be - not ready to repay my student loan).
Writing has been minimal, unfortunately. I wrote some on my ever-evolving Pendragon Story. I made some notes for 2 metahuman stories, I sent all of the finished properties off to Green for editting. I did get some art going again on Danger Guild and I am hopeful that I can get that one moving. In fact, I feel better about DG now than I did last year so hopefully some samples will start to appear. Right now it looks like it will be a full length graphic novel in B&W though color might be an option. If not for the first release, then definitely as a re-release.
I have been reading a lot. I have kept up my regimen of 1 non-fiction and 1 fiction book at all times. Finished a couple so far. Almost finished with "Gates of Fire" (I don't think those 300 Spartans are going to make it!)
So, as I grade my first month of 2011, I would give myself a C+ or a B-. I need to up the writing and production of GGE properties and that would get me to at least a solid B or B+.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Prince of Persia
Suffice it to say, it is a bit of a failure, in my opinion, for Disney. As I posted the first time I watched it, I was hoping for something as cool and instantly immersive as Pirates of the Carribean. Where did they go wrong with Prince of Persia?
- The lead is no Johnny Depp (he could be an Orlando Bloom, I suppose)
- No ensemble cast. Wasn't the cast in POTC just awesome?
- The score is no where near as cool
- They didn't leave us wanting to be Persian the way POTC left us wanting to be Pirates
- The leading lady, while beautiful, is not as hot as Elizabeth Swann
I don't know what else could have been changed. Clearly it was a big budget film. The scenery is beautiful. Maybe there is too much CGI. I have found that too much reliance on CGI will not save a movie. They seemed to put a lot of faith into the time travel effects of the dagger. Could have saved some money there I think and put some more thought into good dialogue and good storytelling.
On a totally separate note, I selected Prince of Persia for tonight's viewing because it was one of the few films I owned on Blu Ray. I just bought a Blu Ray player and I am thrilled with it! Yes...I am waaaay behind the times on my home theater technology.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Asking before receiving
I read a Dilbert cartoon a day or so ago in which Dilbert is sitting in his cubicle and he reflect that "I ask for so little."
There is an introspective pause and then Dilbert realizes...
"And boy do I get it!"
I think we all try to ask so little of life, of others, of ourselves and yet we feel victimized when we get so little. Why wouldn't we? We haven't asked for more! I am as guilty as anybody of this...probably more so, because I have prided myself on asking for so little.
And boy have I gotten it! I need to change this...right now!
There is an introspective pause and then Dilbert realizes...
"And boy do I get it!"
I think we all try to ask so little of life, of others, of ourselves and yet we feel victimized when we get so little. Why wouldn't we? We haven't asked for more! I am as guilty as anybody of this...probably more so, because I have prided myself on asking for so little.
And boy have I gotten it! I need to change this...right now!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Brief GGE Update
Some brief GGE news:
Think I found a new artist for Danger Guild. I loved our previous artist, but he's just got too much n his late to spend time with us. It's a good problem to have as an artist, I would say, being able to turn away $$$.
In any event, we'll get rolling on Danger Guild again and get some samples out as soon as they are available.
Sent three finished works off to Green for his review and editting. While Gates provides a lot of the mechanics of story crafting, typing, and businessy stuff, Green provides a huge amount of the creative effort. Our stories tend to have very distinct characters, distinct imagery and snappy dialogue. A good deal of that comes from the (sometimes twisted) mind of Green (Tim Green for those who don't know).
So with one under contract, three in editting and one being drawn, we are about to develop a couple of new properties.
Also planned for this year is a total website revamp, and hopefully adapting some of our prose work into graphic novel scripts or screenplays.
It just all takes time and that is the one thing we can't make more of.
Think I found a new artist for Danger Guild. I loved our previous artist, but he's just got too much n his late to spend time with us. It's a good problem to have as an artist, I would say, being able to turn away $$$.
In any event, we'll get rolling on Danger Guild again and get some samples out as soon as they are available.
Sent three finished works off to Green for his review and editting. While Gates provides a lot of the mechanics of story crafting, typing, and businessy stuff, Green provides a huge amount of the creative effort. Our stories tend to have very distinct characters, distinct imagery and snappy dialogue. A good deal of that comes from the (sometimes twisted) mind of Green (Tim Green for those who don't know).
So with one under contract, three in editting and one being drawn, we are about to develop a couple of new properties.
Also planned for this year is a total website revamp, and hopefully adapting some of our prose work into graphic novel scripts or screenplays.
It just all takes time and that is the one thing we can't make more of.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Character Development for storytelling
I have been using an interesting tool for character development lately. It takes some time, but it is a lot of fun. It basically helps flesh out some key aspects of a character before ever writing a word. This helps keep your characters human, consistent and interesting.
It's basically a table that looks like this:
It is really helpful for me and a lot of fun to execute this prior to writing a sentence. The Notes section can be where you record background information, history, etc. The Notes section can become pretty full throughout the writing process.
Tools are fun to use, but sometimes the right thing is to decide not to use the tool. It's all part of the creative process and using the right tool for the right job. I have derived a lot of benefit from this one though, so I thought I would pass it along.
It's basically a table that looks like this:
Tools are fun to use, but sometimes the right thing is to decide not to use the tool. It's all part of the creative process and using the right tool for the right job. I have derived a lot of benefit from this one though, so I thought I would pass it along.
Monday, January 17, 2011
I love it when a plan comes together!
I was so pleased with this movie. Not quite as pleased as I was with the Star Trek reboot, but very close.
The movie was funny, action packed and a bit more serious that then original show, which is important since even the kids today expect a bit more from their action comedies than we did back in the 80's.
Still, I thought this was a very worthy remake. I loved the few times they used the original music and, of course, I still love the van.
What a hapy time for a geek like me. We have
- Star Trek reboots
- A-team is back
- Transformers are in full swing
- Star Wars is still huge
- Battlestar Galactica still rocks
- True Grit just came back out
- My superheroes are all new again thanks to the successful superhero movies of late (Batman, X-men, Spiderman, Superman, Fantastic Four, The Watchmen)
Friday, January 14, 2011
Resident Evil: Afterlife
So, needless to say, I went into Afterlife expecting great things.
I was sorely disappointed.
As usual, I will point out some good things:
- Visually stunning
- Some decent new characters (loved the basketball player)
- Milla Jovovich is a bona fide kick ass action star
- Ali Larter is hot
- The new bad guy was mildly interesting
- Very "cross genre" (how can I say a zombie film is cross genre? Easy. Milla is a bonafide superhero in these films, so to me, this is a superhero vs zombie movie. Always has been).
I thought the story was a bit weaker than the others. It was cool that Japan seemed to have survived all these years of infection, but why? And why inexplicably and suddenly did their protective measures fail? The people in the prison in the U.S - where have they been for the last 4 years? It seemed like they had just realized there was a zombie apocalypse that had been going on for years now.
Finally, why do some of the zombies have huge tentacles that burst out of their mouths everytime they feed? I suspect this was solely for 3D shock effect. Not a good use of the 3D media. Don't invent a new zombie characteristic just to make me squirm. It cheapens the story.
So that is my review. It is painful to deliver, like slugging an old friend in the gut. Maybe there will be more...if so, let's hope they are better.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Cape
Now, don't get me wrong, there are a couple of things about that show that come off as cool.
- The costume. Very cool costume.
- The premise. Works with criminals. Trained by carnies.
- The carnies (some cool characters led by Keith David who always rocks)
- For what coolness is has, it still comes across as campy. It's too much like a comic book translated directly to a TV show
- Characters - the characters, especially the main hero, is just not real enough. He doesn't have many major problems. When I think of some great heroes, I think of their flaws. Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, all of the X-men. They are flawed people and in being flawed, they seem real. This character doesn't feel real. Too much like The Phantom or The Shadow. Both Phantom and Shadow were cool, but we want more these days. We want some character-driven drama set in a world where superheroes exist. We don't want just four color pulp action. It's okay as a diversion, but not as a TV series unless you are making the latest Power Rangers.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Vampire Empire
I love Steampunk and I love the fact that is seems to be on the rise lately. People are making some cool stuff into "steampunk" versions.
I can't say too much about "The Greyfriar" yet since I haven't read it, but it sounds awesome, it is by a local pair of authors (local to me anyway) and it is cross genre, which I love. The steampunk bit is just icing on the cake so I will definitely have to give it a read.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
True Grit
- Rooster Cogburn was not your typical John Wayne character
- The dialogue was unlike any western I have ever seen or read
- My Dad did not like Rooster Cogburn
I know I usually blog about sci-fi, fantasy, writing, zombies, etc. This movie though (and especially the book that spawned the film) impresses me because it is "different" in a very formulaic genre. I also work in some formulaic genres and I would love to find a voice that was different enough to be notable decades after I penned the words. I think in these cases , different (but familiar) is a very good place to be!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Bone Sword
Anyway, that led me to Walter Rhein's book, "The Bone Sword".
I saw the release of the book and didn't take the plunge to buy it. Then I read some reviews online. After reading the reviews (not 100% positive), I thought, I owe it to myself to read this book. Even the "bad" reviews made the book sound good.
So, I got a Kindle for Christmas (yay!) and the first book I bought was "The Bone Sword".
I had a bit of reluctance when I first opened the book. I think Rhemalda qualifies as a small press publisher and I have bought books from small presses before and been a bit disappointed. I was also a bit nervous for Walter Rhein. I had communicated briefly with him via Facebook and he had asked for my honest feedback of the book when I read it. I was afraid my honest feedback might be negative. So, I allowed myself, for just a moment, to lower my expectations when I started reading "The Bone Sword". I quickly realized that I had lowered my expectations prematurely and without cause.
As I read, I began to think things like "Oh, that was cool!" and "Well done!" and "This could actually be a good book". I was only slightly wrong...it's not just a good book. It's a damn good book!
I really liked the characters. The characters are all very unique and feel very "real". The primary good guy in the novel is a total bad ass. His name is Malik and I could easily see him as the basis of a series of books like Conan. As a matter of fact, the book put me in the mind of Robert Howard only set in a much less barbaric setting. Even the bad guys are really cool. Without offering any spoilers, I loved the bad guy who had a penchant for torture. I loved Malik's nemesis. I even really liked the corrupt nobleman and I was a bit disappointed when he died without getting to see more of him. Good bad guys really make a novel for me and Rhein did not disappoint!
One thing that I particularly loved was the plot twists that caught me off guard, but seemed to really fit well in the story. The story was, in no way, predictable, but it also fits together really well.
The world building was well done. One definitely gets the sense that the setting is fully established and has a rich history before the events of the story and will continue to have an ongoing saga after the close of the last chapter.
A note on magic - fantasy stories typically have magic and this one does too, but it is done to perfection. It's not a common thing. People are scared to death of it and no one understands exactly how it works (though it is clear to the reader that there are certain "rules" guiding the magic). Couldn't have been handled much better in my opinion.
Were there any negatives? Minor. It wasn't a perfect book, but the imperfections were extremely slim. A clunky sentence here and there, but that might just be Rhein's "voice".
One very pleasant surprise - the book was essentially devoid of editing errors to my eyes (I'm not an expert but I usually catch at least 2 or 3 even in books by big publishing houses).
One thing I loved was that in the beginning of the book, even the hero (Malik) seems a bit disdainful of "common" people. So does the Earl and the Priest. I began to wonder if the author felt similarly. By the end of the book, however, Malik's perceptions of common people has really changed. Such a change is so essential in a character. I hope, if we are fortunate enough to see more of Malik, then the changes will persist. Some authors, when they realize they have a good hero for a series, begin keeping their characters static in an attempt not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. I personally think this is a mistake, but that's a rant for another day.
Sorry for the really long post today...here's the bottom line.
If you like a good fantasy story, and you like cool heroes and well defined characters set in a believable setting, then go buy a copy of "The Bone Sword". I cannot imagine how you could be disappointed.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Great information about Self Publishing
I put this info on Twitter as well as here in today's blog entry. Excuse the redundancy, but it seems really interesting and thus bears repeating.
I wondered across J.A Konrath's blog entry today and he discusses the state of Self Publishing. For anyone who doesn't know, Konrath is an already etablished print author, but his insight is still really interesting.
It's an eternal question for writers and it is getting to be a more commonly asked question as publication options, distribution options and marketing options become more and more varied.
I'm not taking a position on this one. It is a question for each writer/creative to decide when to seek acceptance by their industry's "gatekeeper" and when to go it alone instead.
This blog makes some compelling points though.
I wondered across J.A Konrath's blog entry today and he discusses the state of Self Publishing. For anyone who doesn't know, Konrath is an already etablished print author, but his insight is still really interesting.
It's an eternal question for writers and it is getting to be a more commonly asked question as publication options, distribution options and marketing options become more and more varied.
I'm not taking a position on this one. It is a question for each writer/creative to decide when to seek acceptance by their industry's "gatekeeper" and when to go it alone instead.
This blog makes some compelling points though.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Sorceror's Apprentice
I love the concept. I love the backstory and I love the way the sorceror's all seem so unique and mysterious. It had some of the same cool mystique that Highlander had for me.
I even liked their explanation of magic and the way sorcery works.
I didn't really see any downsides at all. I am not always a fan of Nicholas Cage, but I liked him in this movie and I thought his character was really cool.
I saw The Last Airbender recently and really enjoyed it as well, though most of what I enjoyed about it was based on the cartoon's already-established storyline, but the movie was still very good and I would like to see more.
Of the two though, I thought Sorceror's Apprentice was much cooler.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Key events
I read some cool advice a few months back. It was all around how to make sure your life feels meaningful, impactful and happy.
It all centered around making a "key events" list. The thought behind the key events list was to look back through your life and make a list of key events. Things that happened in your life that truly changed you.
It said to go all the way back as far as you could remember. It might be a meeting a best friend in elementary school, graduating high school, going to Disney World.
I thought through this and I wrote down about 30 things. A lot of it involved education (graduating from college), travel (visiting the UK) or changing jobs. Also each book that was published showed up on my key events list.
So, for me, what was the verdict?
For me, this means
All of those things are ongoing. Now that I know what a positive impact these things have had on my in the past, I am truly excited about the future!
It all centered around making a "key events" list. The thought behind the key events list was to look back through your life and make a list of key events. Things that happened in your life that truly changed you.
It said to go all the way back as far as you could remember. It might be a meeting a best friend in elementary school, graduating high school, going to Disney World.
I thought through this and I wrote down about 30 things. A lot of it involved education (graduating from college), travel (visiting the UK) or changing jobs. Also each book that was published showed up on my key events list.
So, for me, what was the verdict?
- Do more travel
- Change jobs fearlessly when a better one comes along
- Publish more books
- Seek out educational opportunities.
For me, this means
- Look for new work if I want to
- Make it a travel job
- Publish more books
- Finish my masters degree
All of those things are ongoing. Now that I know what a positive impact these things have had on my in the past, I am truly excited about the future!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Four Burners
I was reading Chris Guillebeau's blog over at "The Art of non-Conformity" this morning and I wandered across this post about work-life balance.
In it, he talks about a quote from David Sedaris that says that all of our lives consist of four "burners" (in this case, our life is metaphorically a stove top). There is a burner for friends, one for family, one for health and one for work.
The quote then goes on to say that to be successful, you have to turn off one of the burners. To be really successful, you have to turn off two.
The thought is anathema to a lot of people (me included). I have always sought a life in balance. I can, however, see how turning off some burners would help one succeed in the other areas.
I am just selfish enough that I want success in all areas.
The comments on the post offer some valuable insight (proving once again that blog readers are usually smarter than blog writers - though sometimes they are the same people).
Anyway...one piece of valuable advice is to combine burners. For example, run or bike with friends or family and thus combine health/family. Or make friends and family a single burner.
Another bit of advice says to turn down one burner for awhile and then come back to it later. This one begs a "juggling" metaphor.
For me, and for many of the creatives I hang out with, there is a fifth burner. The fifth burner is our "art". so I have a work burner that I have to keep going and I have to be successful primarily for the benefit of my family and health. Work also finances my art. So, I have to be successful at work, but I also have to leave time for writing, creating, etc.
I know, for a fact, that if I stopped producing my art, even at the snail's pace at which I work, I could devote more time to work and quickly become one of the best in my field. I could be much more recognized. I could give presentations at conferences and I could make a lot more money.
The thing is, my work is not my passion. My art is. So I have to balance 5 burners, not 4. A lot of you are in a similar boat.
So, do we need to cut off a burner? two? Or is there a way to juggle things better?
Just a glimpse into my life, right now, I do a decent job at managing all five. I get up early, get to work before most others. I then get to leave a bit early, get home and do family stuff. I keep 2 nights a week to hang with friends. I work out after the kids have settled down for the night, usually around 9:30. And then I spend an hour or so writing before bed. Some nights, I squeeze in some pure relax time just for me (lately there has been more relax time as I bought Starcraft 2 and I am addicted to it - this is a pattern I endure when I get a new game. I don't get new games often, but when I do, I surrender to an intense addicted phase and then I am done for a long while).
Whew...long post I know...how do you guys and gals handle the 4? 5? 6? burners in your lives?
In it, he talks about a quote from David Sedaris that says that all of our lives consist of four "burners" (in this case, our life is metaphorically a stove top). There is a burner for friends, one for family, one for health and one for work.
The quote then goes on to say that to be successful, you have to turn off one of the burners. To be really successful, you have to turn off two.
The thought is anathema to a lot of people (me included). I have always sought a life in balance. I can, however, see how turning off some burners would help one succeed in the other areas.
I am just selfish enough that I want success in all areas.
The comments on the post offer some valuable insight (proving once again that blog readers are usually smarter than blog writers - though sometimes they are the same people).
Anyway...one piece of valuable advice is to combine burners. For example, run or bike with friends or family and thus combine health/family. Or make friends and family a single burner.
Another bit of advice says to turn down one burner for awhile and then come back to it later. This one begs a "juggling" metaphor.
For me, and for many of the creatives I hang out with, there is a fifth burner. The fifth burner is our "art". so I have a work burner that I have to keep going and I have to be successful primarily for the benefit of my family and health. Work also finances my art. So, I have to be successful at work, but I also have to leave time for writing, creating, etc.
I know, for a fact, that if I stopped producing my art, even at the snail's pace at which I work, I could devote more time to work and quickly become one of the best in my field. I could be much more recognized. I could give presentations at conferences and I could make a lot more money.
The thing is, my work is not my passion. My art is. So I have to balance 5 burners, not 4. A lot of you are in a similar boat.
So, do we need to cut off a burner? two? Or is there a way to juggle things better?
Just a glimpse into my life, right now, I do a decent job at managing all five. I get up early, get to work before most others. I then get to leave a bit early, get home and do family stuff. I keep 2 nights a week to hang with friends. I work out after the kids have settled down for the night, usually around 9:30. And then I spend an hour or so writing before bed. Some nights, I squeeze in some pure relax time just for me (lately there has been more relax time as I bought Starcraft 2 and I am addicted to it - this is a pattern I endure when I get a new game. I don't get new games often, but when I do, I surrender to an intense addicted phase and then I am done for a long while).
Whew...long post I know...how do you guys and gals handle the 4? 5? 6? burners in your lives?
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Have a holly, jolly, holiday
I plan to have a great holiday! Not just the family time, the overeating, the holiday cocktails, the Christmas eve services, the presents, the football, but also time for the following:
What are your unique holiday plans?
- Relaxing Gates-style: this means some Starcraft, some World of Warcraft, lots of reading, some sci-fi movies and maybe seeing True Grit.
- Exercising: I actally love to run and it always seems a rushed and harried practice to squeeze in my 3-5 miles. During the holiday, opportunities abound
- Creating: I love having uninterrupted time to make notes for new and existing stories, sit down with coffee and mood music and write, write, write.
What are your unique holiday plans?
Monday, December 20, 2010
Twittering (Tweeting)
Been brushing up on my Twitter usage. Even still, I know I only understand a portion of Twitter. I am finally figuring out how to retweet and reply and I am starting to get some really good usage out of the folks I follow! Really cool.
You can follow us here. Send me a tweet and I'll follow ya back.
You can follow us here. Send me a tweet and I'll follow ya back.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Marci! Where have you been all my life?
I may be stating that a little strongly, but I wandered across Marci Segal's blog today and it is all about creativity and leadership, both of which are near and dear to my heart.
I think this should be high on the list for anyone to read, creative or not.
We could all use more creativity in our life.
Even in jobs where we think creativity is not championed, it is often the most creative approaches that get noticed.
Sometimes being creative just means finding that little something that differentiates us from our peer.
Jimmy Johnson said, "The difference in ordinary and extraordinary is just that little extra."
I think this should be high on the list for anyone to read, creative or not.
We could all use more creativity in our life.
Even in jobs where we think creativity is not championed, it is often the most creative approaches that get noticed.
Sometimes being creative just means finding that little something that differentiates us from our peer.
Jimmy Johnson said, "The difference in ordinary and extraordinary is just that little extra."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Anti Matter
Anti Matter is a really funny web series devoted to exploring the geekdom that occurs around comic shops by fanboys like...well...sadly a bit like me, and maybe like you too.
I love the way the Chris Walker has taken what he knows, made it into bite sized webisodes and launched this series.
It's funny and familiar.
My favorite quote thus far is when one of the fanboys is trying to explain the hierarchy of geeks, dorks, nerds and dweebs and he says it is "nature's way of saying 'sorry' for only giving you three emotions. Anger lust and a more extreme form of lust."
The web series got a nice writeup on wired (which is how I found it).
How inspiring! Go create!
I love the way the Chris Walker has taken what he knows, made it into bite sized webisodes and launched this series.
It's funny and familiar.
My favorite quote thus far is when one of the fanboys is trying to explain the hierarchy of geeks, dorks, nerds and dweebs and he says it is "nature's way of saying 'sorry' for only giving you three emotions. Anger lust and a more extreme form of lust."
The web series got a nice writeup on wired (which is how I found it).
How inspiring! Go create!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Transformers 3
I am not a huge fan of the Transformers movies, though I was a huge fan of the cartoon and thought the toys were really cool.
I can't say what it is exactly that I don't love about the movies. They have some great qualities
- Great director
- Good acting
- Spielberg
- Amazing effects
- Big budget
- Humor
- Ensemble Cast
I can't say what about Transformers doesn't appeal to me. Don't get me wrong, I will see it, in 3D, but I get the sense I should like these movies more than I do.
Can anyone share their thoughts on what they find appealing? Maybe it's contagious.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
My Christmas shopping
This is a bib for a newborn. In my circle of friends, this is perfectly normal.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Pirates are back!
I know that some would say that Disney has done the Pirates of the Carribean to death. You know what? I don't care. I love pirates. I want to be a pirate and I'll go see these movies until Johnny Depp looks like Keith Richards!
Earth Station One has the preview trailer! Check it out!
Earth Station One has the preview trailer! Check it out!
The Secret
It's a really interesting book. Not to ruin it for you, but it's about "The Law of Attraction" which has gained a lot of momentum in recent years.
I say it has gained momentum. It may be that I just became aware of it. I know most folks who write about the Law of Attraction sight some older sources like Wallace Wattles (Who called The Law of Attraction part of a "New Thought" Movement way back in 1910).
I have read other books that talk about this subject.
- The Answer by John Assaraf and Murray Smith
- The Succes Principles by Jack Canfield
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
I have to say that I am a big fan of this notion as well. I don't know if one can always expect things to occur quite as dramatically as some of the examples in these books. Of course, a proponent of the Law of Attraction would say that my lack of 100% belief is why things like that don't happen to me.
I do believe though, 100% that you need to know exactly what you want if you are going to go after it. I fully believe in the power of visualization as practiced by all manner of professional athletes.
You have to believe you can achieve if you are going to succeed. That sounds like an affirmation, but it is very true. Henry Ford said "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, either way, you're right"
So if you aren't where you want to be in life, relationships, business, etc. I would recommend one of the books above as a tool. I'm not sure any will provide the whole answer, but they are certainly worth a read.
And if you find them inspiring enough to set a new grandiose vision for your life, and then succeed at only 10% of that vision, you've still moved ahead with your dreams!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Gnomeo and Juliet
I love yard gnomes, by the way. I have a small collection of them (and no, I am not a geriatric, I just like the little dudes).
I think it could be a great idea. Sort of "Toy Story" like, but I suspect it will not be a big hit. Just a feeling.
Now, more importantly, why do I like Yard Gnomes? Who knows. I think because they seem whimsical and I like to think they are alive when I am not looking. Is that weird? It's the premise of "Gnomeo and Juliet" so I'm not the first person to think of it and I suspect most Yard Gnome owners like to pretend the same thing.
Oh, and Yard Gnomes seem to promote a lifestyle I could really enjoy. They are typically depicted either smoking, drinking or napping.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Creativity
You know, I love creativity. I love writing, drawing, brainstorming, outlining, filming...I just enjoy being creative. It's a shame that there aren't more opportunities to be creative. Then again, I guess there is really no shortage of such opportunities. Right now, I create in my time after my "real job".
I am starting to realize there is a certain amount of creativity that can be employed in my "real job".
I know there are a lot of other creators out there looking for a venue. I am starting to think that we have to make our own venue a lot of times. Find a tribe of followers, connect with them and market right to them.
I am thinking that the notion of being "discovered" might be a thing of the past, or at least a lot more of a crap shoot than it's ever been before.
There is so much noise out there, it's hard to convince someone you are different enough for them to produce.
Maybe the right path is to produce...and use your product to convince.
I am starting to realize there is a certain amount of creativity that can be employed in my "real job".
I know there are a lot of other creators out there looking for a venue. I am starting to think that we have to make our own venue a lot of times. Find a tribe of followers, connect with them and market right to them.
I am thinking that the notion of being "discovered" might be a thing of the past, or at least a lot more of a crap shoot than it's ever been before.
There is so much noise out there, it's hard to convince someone you are different enough for them to produce.
Maybe the right path is to produce...and use your product to convince.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Historical Musings
Obviously, yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day. A Day that has lived in infamy (as FDR predicted). I know Japan and the U.S. pals now, and I am glad for it. Peace is my thing! Still, I am really saddened by the loss of life back in 1941. War is a terrible thing, but I am seriously grateful for those who have served and given thir lives to protect our freedoms.
Today, in 1980, John Lennon was shot and killed. Whether you like John Lennon or not, he was a great song writer and musician who changed the musical landscape forever. He certainly deserved better than being shot down. R.I.P John!
Today, in 1980, John Lennon was shot and killed. Whether you like John Lennon or not, he was a great song writer and musician who changed the musical landscape forever. He certainly deserved better than being shot down. R.I.P John!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Stuff GGE needs
In 2011, GGE needs:
- A redesigned website. One that rocks
- Illustrations for some stories and some cover images (It's always amazed me that even with $$$ to spend, I can't get artists onboard)
- An editor-for-hire who can edit grammatically, but also provide story input into our finished works (3 and counting)
- We need to finish a few other stories that are in their infancy right now
- We need someone to work with us to convert some prose to screenplays
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Expendables - a poor review from a notoriously easy reviewer
How could a movie have so much promise and undeliver so badly? Don't get me wrong..."The Expendables" was "okay" and I could watch it again. Just like I could watch "Commando" again, but it's unlikely I would do that on purpose.
I expected this to be something GREAT. Like the "Magnificent Seven" or "The Dogs of War" or "UnCommon Valor" or something like that, only with cooler uniforms, gear and bigger stars.
How can we have a movie with Jet Li and not have major martial arts fighting? I just didn't love this movie. Loved the cast. Loved the premise. Was very disappointed in how it was pulled off.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
IHero is back, baby!
There were some products offered over time. A roleplaying game, a really great novel and a superhero tarot deck.
Then I didn't hear anything from them for awhile. Suddenly, thanks to Facebook, I wondered back across Ihero. I found their website and lo and behold, they are back with a new magazine offered both as a print mag and as a digital download.
The first issue went live today and I KNOW it will be great. I don't have to guess. I have read these writers before. I know some of the characters. It will be worth my time and money so I immediately bought my copy.
I highly suggest checking them out!
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