This weeks' homepage update:
- DARC AGES Chapter 29.
- The long story "Natural Enemy", part of the PRECINCT 20: DEAD STRANGE cycle.
Choice quote from "Natural Enemy":
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He waved goodbye and walked out of the smelly lobby. Right then, his phone beeped. He snapped it up.
"Yes?"
"They found him. He's messed up real bad, sir. Real bad."
"Can he speak?"
There was a pause. Dr. Schmidt's familiar voice sounded over the phone. "Satten's been dead for several hours. I'll have to take the body to the lab for a more thorough examination, but you should know that it has no face. We identified him by the wallet and badge in his pocket. Something chewed off his face, Garris."
Garris swallowed.
"Chewed? You mean, like an animal?"
"Or several animals. Maybe rats, maybe dogs, I can't say right now." Schmidt sounded unusually distressed.
"Don't move the corpse yet. I'll be right over. Where are you?"
"Backus Lane, between the Snake and Cross and Bayliss. Follow the trail of cops, you can't miss it."
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Read the rest.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
NURGLON SLAMS PRESIDENT'S FINANCIAL REFORM BID, PRESENTS OWN SWEEPING REFORM PACKAGE
POX News, Washington, D.C., April 22:
POX News reporter Bill Hairdo has had a brief Q & A with Rage Party leader Nurglon, where she/it outlined a response to President Obama's finance reform bid:
Bill Hairdo: Nurglon, how do you react to worries that another big bank failure might cripple the economy, repeating history, if nothing is done about limiting the size of banks?
Nurglon: I AM AGAINST LIMITING THE SIZE OF ANYTHING! I MUST GROW, AND GROW, AND PRODUCE MORE OF MY SPAWN TO ENGULF THIS PITIFUL PLANET!
B: But how will that stance go down with small-town America?
N: SMALL-TOWN AMERICA WILL GO DOWN INSIDE ME! HA HA HA!
B: Critics accuse your party, the Repu... sorry, the Rage Party, of being in the pockets of the financial sector...
N: SO? WHAT IS WRONG WITH BLIND OBEDIENCE TO POWER? ALL-AMERICAN, PATRIOTIC, FAMILY-VALUES-FRIENDLY, GOD-FEARING, PRO-MILITARY POWER. GOSHDARN IT.
B: So your party will do nothing?
N: OF COURSE NOT! BY GOLLY! WE SHALL SEIZE POWER TO PUSH THROUGH OUR OWN FINANCIAL REFORM PACKAGE!
B: Tell us more.
N: FIRST, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE DOLLAR WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE CURRENCY OF BLOOD. SECOND, THE BIGGEST BANKS WILL BE GIVEN FREE REIGN TO TRADE AND SELL THE GREAT UNTAPPED AMERICAN RESOURCE.
B: Offshore oil?
N: THE POOR.
B: And by "the poor," you mean...
N: THE UNEMPLOYED! FOR STARTERS! THEN... WE'LL REDEFINE "POVERTY" ALONG A SLIDING SCALE.
B: Wait a minute... do you propose we reinstate slavery??
N: OF COURSE NOT! THAT WOULD BE WRONG! AMERICANS ARE TOO LAZY AND UNRELIABLE TO MAKE GOOD SLAVES! WE TRADE THEIR BLOOD AND ORGANS INSTEAD.
B: In your reform package, what about boosting trade exports, for instance to China?
N: WHEN I CLEANSE THE WORLD FROM TERROR WITH TORRENTS OF NUCLEAR FIRE, FOREIGN TRADE WILL CEASE TO BE AN ISSUE.
B: Wouldn't global war put a strain on the already strained U.S. budget?
N: ANYONE WHO TALKS ABOUT NUMBERS AND BUDGETS IS AN ELITIST SOCIALIST UN-AMERICAN SECRET MUSLIM WITH A FALSE BIRTH CERTIFICATE!
B: Thank you, Nurglon.
N: BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURGLON, MISTRESS OF GREAT CTHULHU! YOU MAY KISS ONE OF MY TENTACLES.
Bill Hairdo: Nurglon, how do you react to worries that another big bank failure might cripple the economy, repeating history, if nothing is done about limiting the size of banks?
Nurglon: I AM AGAINST LIMITING THE SIZE OF ANYTHING! I MUST GROW, AND GROW, AND PRODUCE MORE OF MY SPAWN TO ENGULF THIS PITIFUL PLANET!
B: But how will that stance go down with small-town America?
N: SMALL-TOWN AMERICA WILL GO DOWN INSIDE ME! HA HA HA!
B: Critics accuse your party, the Repu... sorry, the Rage Party, of being in the pockets of the financial sector...
N: SO? WHAT IS WRONG WITH BLIND OBEDIENCE TO POWER? ALL-AMERICAN, PATRIOTIC, FAMILY-VALUES-FRIENDLY, GOD-FEARING, PRO-MILITARY POWER. GOSHDARN IT.
B: So your party will do nothing?
N: OF COURSE NOT! BY GOLLY! WE SHALL SEIZE POWER TO PUSH THROUGH OUR OWN FINANCIAL REFORM PACKAGE!
B: Tell us more.
N: FIRST, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE DOLLAR WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE CURRENCY OF BLOOD. SECOND, THE BIGGEST BANKS WILL BE GIVEN FREE REIGN TO TRADE AND SELL THE GREAT UNTAPPED AMERICAN RESOURCE.
B: Offshore oil?
N: THE POOR.
B: And by "the poor," you mean...
N: THE UNEMPLOYED! FOR STARTERS! THEN... WE'LL REDEFINE "POVERTY" ALONG A SLIDING SCALE.
B: Wait a minute... do you propose we reinstate slavery??
N: OF COURSE NOT! THAT WOULD BE WRONG! AMERICANS ARE TOO LAZY AND UNRELIABLE TO MAKE GOOD SLAVES! WE TRADE THEIR BLOOD AND ORGANS INSTEAD.
B: In your reform package, what about boosting trade exports, for instance to China?
N: WHEN I CLEANSE THE WORLD FROM TERROR WITH TORRENTS OF NUCLEAR FIRE, FOREIGN TRADE WILL CEASE TO BE AN ISSUE.
B: Wouldn't global war put a strain on the already strained U.S. budget?
N: ANYONE WHO TALKS ABOUT NUMBERS AND BUDGETS IS AN ELITIST SOCIALIST UN-AMERICAN SECRET MUSLIM WITH A FALSE BIRTH CERTIFICATE!
B: Thank you, Nurglon.
N: BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURGLON, MISTRESS OF GREAT CTHULHU! YOU MAY KISS ONE OF MY TENTACLES.
Homepage Update: Reading Samples
This week's update of my official homepage (do people still call it "homepage" or is that "so 90s"...?):
- Another chapter of my serialized novel DARC AGES (1999);
-Another chapter of my serialized novel THE ARGUS PROJECT (2001).
NOTE: Some people have asked me: When are you going to write a proper sequel to DARC AGES? Well... a sequel (several ones, actually) already exist -- inside my brain. I just need to get the time and encouragement to write them down.
And by "encouragement" I mean buy the book already.
- Another chapter of my serialized novel DARC AGES (1999);
-Another chapter of my serialized novel THE ARGUS PROJECT (2001).
NOTE: Some people have asked me: When are you going to write a proper sequel to DARC AGES? Well... a sequel (several ones, actually) already exist -- inside my brain. I just need to get the time and encouragement to write them down.
And by "encouragement" I mean buy the book already.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Right Now I Am In The Process Of...
...translating my novel BLOOD & SWINE: A Comedy of Terrors into Swedish.
I'm of course looking for a Swedish publisher for this satire/horror-comedy. Any suggestions/recommendations?
I'm of course looking for a Swedish publisher for this satire/horror-comedy. Any suggestions/recommendations?
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Nurglon (r) Unveils New Midterm Campaign Poster
POX News, April 8:
Nurglon (r), self-appointed new leader of the Rage Party (formerly the Republican Party), presented today her/its new campaign poster for the 2010 midterm elections:
The new slogans appear made to match Nurglon's endorsement of the Pope and are consistent with her/its previous stance on waterboarding and war.
When asked about the new slogan "MORE Nuclear Weapons," Nurglon responded to POX News:
Nurglon: THE SHINING ONE'S DISARMAMENT AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA MUST BE REVERSED! SUCH UNPATRIOTIC SOCIALIST DEFEATISM IS UN-AMERICAN... AND WORSE, IT MOVES THIS PITIFUL PLANET ONE STEP AWAY FROM THE ANNIHILATION OF THIS WEAK, DESPICABLE HUMAN RACE.
POX News: Don't you think the goal of "annihilation of the human race" might alienate many voters?
N: NOT AT ALL! THE POPE HAS PROMISED MY GOD-FEARING VOTERS SALVATION ON JUDGMENT DAY! ALONG WITH EVERY SINGLE BISHOP AND PRIEST! HA HA HAAAA!
Nurglon (r), self-appointed new leader of the Rage Party (formerly the Republican Party), presented today her/its new campaign poster for the 2010 midterm elections:
The new slogans appear made to match Nurglon's endorsement of the Pope and are consistent with her/its previous stance on waterboarding and war.
When asked about the new slogan "MORE Nuclear Weapons," Nurglon responded to POX News:
Nurglon: THE SHINING ONE'S DISARMAMENT AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA MUST BE REVERSED! SUCH UNPATRIOTIC SOCIALIST DEFEATISM IS UN-AMERICAN... AND WORSE, IT MOVES THIS PITIFUL PLANET ONE STEP AWAY FROM THE ANNIHILATION OF THIS WEAK, DESPICABLE HUMAN RACE.
POX News: Don't you think the goal of "annihilation of the human race" might alienate many voters?
N: NOT AT ALL! THE POPE HAS PROMISED MY GOD-FEARING VOTERS SALVATION ON JUDGMENT DAY! ALONG WITH EVERY SINGLE BISHOP AND PRIEST! HA HA HAAAA!
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Homepage Update: DARC AGES & Short Story "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor"
Check out DARC AGES, Chapter 25 and 26...
Or the short story "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor." (It happens to be one of my wife's favorites.)
Or the short story "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor." (It happens to be one of my wife's favorites.)
Charles Stross: "Why Books Are The Length They Are"
British author Charles Stross describes the practical reasons why so many published books are so long these days, why they are not shorter (or longer)... and why this state of publishing might change, thanks to technology:
"Why Books Are The Length They Are"
Choice quote from the comment thread:
------------------------------------------------
I've sometimes wondered if the rise in word count was also driven by the rise of the word processor ...
Yes, that's definitely driven word counts up; an editor of my acquaintance says submitted manuscripts bloated by around 20% during the 1980s, and it was very visibly associated with manuscripts that came off a word processor (which can be distinguished from ones off an electric typewriter -- margins and headers/footers are more consistent, for one thing).
------------------------------------------------
I'm confident in change. Publishing has never been a static business, and it is often affected by issues which have nothing to do with the writing itself: war, paper shortages, distribution systems, new print technology, legal confrontations over rights, etc.
There will be stumbles along the way -- hey, when do publishers not stumble? -- but eventually, the freedom of writers to set their own length to a novel/novella/story will increase.
Personally, I'd prefer to write shorter novels -- with some exceptions.
"Why Books Are The Length They Are"
Choice quote from the comment thread:
------------------------------------------------
I've sometimes wondered if the rise in word count was also driven by the rise of the word processor ...
Yes, that's definitely driven word counts up; an editor of my acquaintance says submitted manuscripts bloated by around 20% during the 1980s, and it was very visibly associated with manuscripts that came off a word processor (which can be distinguished from ones off an electric typewriter -- margins and headers/footers are more consistent, for one thing).
------------------------------------------------
I'm confident in change. Publishing has never been a static business, and it is often affected by issues which have nothing to do with the writing itself: war, paper shortages, distribution systems, new print technology, legal confrontations over rights, etc.
There will be stumbles along the way -- hey, when do publishers not stumble? -- but eventually, the freedom of writers to set their own length to a novel/novella/story will increase.
Personally, I'd prefer to write shorter novels -- with some exceptions.
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