Nurglon Supporters Claim Barack Obama Is A Witch

Joe-Bob Sispak, interviewed by POX News' Sean Inannity in the Very Deep South, Oct.10:

Sean Inannity: Joe-Bob... you and your friends, die-hard Nurglon supporters, are saying that Barack Obama is a witch.

Joe-Bob Sispak: Yeah!

(Voices in crowd: A witch! A witch! Burn'im! Burn the witch!)

S: But how do you know he's a witch?

J: He turned me into a newt!

S: A newt?

J: (Pause) I got better...

S: It does look like Obama is going to win the election. Do you expect your candidate, Nurglon, to bow out gracefully?

J: No! Nurglon must win! She's the only one who can save us now!

S: From the economic crisis?

J: No, ya dope! From the elves!

S: The elves??

J: Yeah! See, Nurglon's been givin' us a few hints who's really behind them bad loans and risin' prices and stuff! It's all the work of a global conspiracy of elves! But Nurglon's gonna eat all the elves and then the problems are going away! Nurglon forever!!

(Crowd cheers)

------------------------

Nurglon Speaks...
Nurglons Slams Obama...
Nurglon Denies...

Nurglon Claims Obama Is Friendly With Terrorists

POX News, The Very Deep South, Oct.7: During a torch-lit evening rally, before a rapt crowd of 5,000 followers, Nurglon (r) made this highly critical statement of her/its opponent:

Nurglon: FOLKS... THE SHINING ONE HAS BEEN TO COUNTRIES YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO!

(30-second standing ovation from audience)

N: HE CAN READ... AND WRITE!

(10-second booing and hissing from audience)

N: WHAT DOES THAT MAKE HIM?

(Man in crowd: "You tell'im, Nurglon!")

N: THE SHINING ONE IS DIFFERENT! NOT ONE OF US! HE'S A FRIEND OF PEOPLE WHO READ AND WRITE BOOKS! A FRIEND OF TERRORISTS!

(30-second standing ovation from audience)

N: NOW MAKE SURE NURGLON BECOMES YOUR RULER AND OVERLORD... TO SAVE THE CHILDREN FROM TERRORISM! THE JUICY, TASTY CHILDREN!

(3-minute standing ovation from audience)

------------------------------------------------

Buy your Nurglon merchandise in the 2008 Election Rejection Shop!

Nurglon Denies Having Eaten John McCain

POX News, Oct. 6: During a recent political rally, POX News asked Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate Nurglon (r) about the mysterious disappearance of John McCain, whom Nurglon replaced after having replaced Sarah Palin.

Sean Inannity: Nurglon, I'll be frank with you. Did you eat John McCain?

Nurglon: NO! NO! GOSH GOLDARN IT, NO.

S: Are you sure?

N: HE'S A HECKUVA TOUGH OLD MAN. THAT'D BE LIKE EATING AN OLD SHOE WITH THE STRINGS ON. HE'D TASTE GOSHDARN AWFUL, AND THAT'S THE PLAIN TRUTH.

S: Seems your speech has become increasingly afflicted with "folksiness." Is this going down well with core conservative voters and hockey moms?

N: BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURG...! I MEAN, GOSH! YEAH! I'M DOWN WITH THEM HOCKEY MOMS. Y'ALL.

S: And how do you respond to the close poll numbers? Do they worry you?

N: I DON'T BOW DOWN TO THEM ELITE TYPES WITH THEIR HIGH-FALUTIN' STATS AND NUMBERS AND WHATNOT. FRIENDS.

S: Well, you certainly still have strong support in the South and the heartland.

N: RIVERS OF BLO... I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS HAD A SOFT SPOT FOR OL' DIXIE. NOW BOW DOWN TO NURGLON, Y'HEAR?

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Related posts:
Nurglon Speaks...
Nurglons Slams Obama...

"Obama Unqualified For Waging Total War," Says Nurglon

In a follow-up to her/its recent tell-all interview for POX News' Sean Inannity, Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate Nurglon (r) slams Barack Obama for being "unqualified" for the military responsibilities of the presidency:

Q: Nurglon, do you have anything to add to your previous comments about your opponent, Barack Obama?

Nurglon: THE SHINING ONE IS WEAK! WEAK!! HIS PITIFUL HUMAN CONSCIENCE FORBIDS HIM TO WAGE TOTAL WAR ON MANKIND, AS I SHALL WHEN I AM ELECTED!

Q: When you say "total war," do you mean the states which sponsor Al-Qaeda in the War On Terror?

N: NO. THE OTHER ENEMY.

Q: Which other enemy?

N: LIFE.

Countless conservative bloggers and pundits have praised Nurglon for this statement, which they claim as proof of Nurglon's necessary "toughness" to rule America. To quote one blogger: "Nurglon in '08! You're either with her or against her!"

----------

Related posts:

Nurglon Speaks...

Nurglon Denies...

NURGLON Speaks! Exclusive Interview

Transcript of Sean Inannity's world-exclusive interview with NURGLON, September 23 2008, for POX News:

Sean Inannity: Thank you for coming here, Nurglon.

Nurglon: BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURGLON, MISTRESS OF GREAT CTHULHU! THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE, SEAN.

S: Is "Nurglon" your first or last name, by the way?

N: FIRST AND LAST.

S: So your kids, they have "Nurglon" for last name, or...?

N: I SELF-CONCEIVED. THAT MAKES THEM ALL NURGLON, I SUPPOSE. HA HA HA!

S: He, he... right.
Nurglon, you burst onto the political scene quite late in the '08 campaign... when you materialized in Alaska and took immediate control of the local Republican campaign headquarter. The party officials acknowledged your status as natural-born U.S. citizen and made you an instant party member.
How do you motivate your choice of party?

N: THE WORSHIPPERS AT THE CAMPAIGN HQ PERFORMED THE APPROPRIATE RITUAL SACRIFICE AND OPENED A DOORWAY FOR ME, USING THE FORBIDDEN INCANTATIONS OF ABDUL AL-HAZRED.

S: Right... and only a few days later, the national GOP congress voted you in as the new vice-presidential candidate, despite the vocal protests of Sarah Palin.
Did you hesitate about muscling in on her post so abruptly? Or, did you fear how she might respond?

N: I EAT PEOPLE LIKE PALIN FOR BREAKFAST. AND LUNCH. AND DINNER.

S: He, he... now, the most amazing part of your success story is how the core conservative voters instantly fell in love with you.
Let's listen to a few voices from the heartland...


Bobby Joe Scagg, gun shop owner, Alabama:
"Well y'know, some latte-drinkin' lawschool elite liberals might look at Nurglon, and all they see is a 150-foot-tall tentacular creature... but us REAL Americans, plain folks, we see her for what she is: a pious, decent patriot who don't take no crap from our enemies... She's one of us, basically. And she's white."

William Worthingless III, investment banker, Utah:
"Nurglon will fix the economic system and make us all rich beyond our wildest dreams. I love you, Nurglon!"

Lula Boggs, Arkansas:
"Of course I can only vote for Nurglon. She's the only female candidate out there!"


Sean Inannity: Well, there you have it. How would you describe, on a personal level, your relationship with those who want to vote for you?

Nurglon: I AM THEIR GOD NOW.

S: Barack Obama's campaign has been pretty quiet about you. Is Obama scared of you?

N: [Unintelligible noise]

S: Would you accept a one-on-one debate with Obama before election day?

N: THE SHINING ONE MUST BE DEFEATED! HIS LIGHT BURNS OUR HUNDRED EYES!

S: So a debate is not in your schedule...
You may have heard some critics attack you for coming from another dimension in Alaska.
Now, the Justice Department has assured voters that your dimension legally speaking lies within U.S. territory.
How do you respond to critics who claim your citizenship isn't strictly legal?

N: IS TORTURE LEGAL? HA HA HA!

S: He, he... right. So you mean...

N: NATIONAL SECURITY TRUMPS ALL LAWS. AS A U.S. CITIZEN I MUST ASCEND TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE, SO THAT I MAY PROTECT THIS GREAT NATION AND ITS GREAT, TASTY CITIZENS.

S: You have described yourself as a small-town person...

N: I LOVE SMALL TOWNS. THEY ARE SO TENDER.

S: This year, a lot of issues are on the voters' minds: The economic crisis, the War, immigration policy... For starters, how would you describe your foreign policy experience?

N: ONCE I ATE ANOTHER COUNTRY. YOU CALL IT ATLANTIS.

S: I'll put a daring question and you can answer it any way you like.
If you were President, would you ever go to war with Russia?

N: IF RUSSIA REFUSES TO BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURGLON, THEN FIRE MUST CONSUME THIS PITIFUL PLANET, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN.

S: America's children?

N: MY FIVE MILLION ONES.

S: Is it true that you won a beauty contest in your home town?

N: MISS UNSPEAKABLE. TWICE.
S: Well, many have described you as a "hot" candidate... and I wouldn't argue with that...

N: WHY SEAN, YOU SMOOTHIE, YOU.

S: He, he... Now, the economy. Do you support the bailout plan and giving extraordinary powers to the Treasury?

N: NO. ALL POWER SHALL BE MINE.

S: And how do you propose solving the financial crisis?

N: THE DOLLAR SHALL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW CURRENCY, THE VALUE OF WHICH IS SET BY AN ABSOLUTE STANDARD.

S: And what standard is that?

N: BLOOD.

S: Where do you stand on Mexican immigration?

N: THE SOUTHERN BORDER MUST BE SEALED.

S: Why?

N: MEXICAN ANCESTORS, THE AZTECS, WORSHIPPED THE WRONG BLOOD-DRINKING GOD MANY CENTURIES AGO. THIS MAKES MEXICANS UNCLEAN IN THE EYES OF GREAT CTHULHU.

S: You want to seal the border? Seriously? How can the government afford that?

N: BY HIRING CHEAP MEXICAN LABOR TO BUILD AN ELECTRIFIED WALL ALONG THE ENTIRE BORDER.

S: What do you see in America's future, and your family's future?

N: MY FIVE MILLION YOUNG SHALL ALL GET GOVERNMENT JOBS. BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT PROBLEM.

S: Which is?

N: FEDERAL BUILDINGS MUST BE REBUILT TO FIT MY CHILDREN'S BODIES.

S: You have shown yourself to be a very pro-family candidate. Of course, this means you oppose all forms of abortion?

N: NOT ONE OF MY COUNTLESS EGGS MUST GO TO WASTE.

S: And same-sex marriage?

N: I HAVE GIVEN THIS A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT... AND DECIDED THAT I CANNOT MARRY MYSELF.

S: Are you still a single mom, then?

N: NO. I HAVE RECENTLY MARRIED THE G.O.P. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

S: You have promised to abolish taxes. Can you keep such a promise?

N: TAXES SHALL BE REPLACED WITH BLOOD SACRIFICE TO GREAT CTHULHU.

S: A strong message from a strong conservative candidate.
Finally, would you like to say something to our viewers?

N: FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN, FOR NATIONAL SECURITY, FOR STRONG LEADERSHIP, FAMILY VALUES AND FAITH... BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP NURGLON!!

S: Thank you very much, Nurglon.

N: THANK YOU, SEAN.
----------------------------
More NURGLON election merchandise can be found in the 2008 Election Rejection Shop.

-------------
Put this button on YOUR site to show your support for Nurglon:

----------
Related posts:
Nurglons Slams Obama...
Nurglon Denies...

NURGLON In 2008!

Who's the folksiest candidate with the mostest family values? Who rejects the high-falutin' elite?

Why, it's NURGLON (r) !

* Nurglon has mothered 5 million offspring (and counting), and completely opposes abortion of any of its eggs. No candidate is more pro-life than Nurglon!

* Nurglon is a plain-speakin' entity from the north (where it entered our dimension) and believes in strong leadership to defend its chosen territory from competing life forms.

So vote NURGLON (r) in 2008! Yes, we should!

P.S.: And remember, you can be sure this candidate ain't black (Nurglon is white with purple spots) or Muslim (Nurglon worships Great Cthulhu).

More NURGLON election merchandise can be found in the 2008 Election Rejection Shop.

-------------
Put this button on YOUR site to show your support for Nurglon:
UPDATE (Sept.23): The World Exclusive interview with Nurglon can be found HERE.
----------
Related posts:
Nurglon Speaks...
Nurglons Slams Obama...
Nurglon Denies...

Adam Kirsch On James Frey And "Reality Instructor" Writers

James Kirsch's review of James Frey's novel BRIGHT SHINY MORNING makes a very good point about "Reality Instructors": when an author has a shallow and crude "vision" of the world but tries to peddle it as "The Truth."

Choice quote:
------------------
Only those writers willing to be humbled by the real are able to capture it for literature. Writers who must always be seen to dominate reality, on the other hand, can never grasp it. Their need to appear wised-up means that they can only allow themselves to write in ways that the world already recognizes as realistic -- that is, in cliches.
-----------------

Read the rest.

So you want to "tell it like it is," give the reader "gritty reality"... guess what, reality isn't always gritty, and no one has all the answers just because he says so. Don't try too hard to "talk tough".

Having said that, there are writers who write "tough" and talk "tough"... and sell to legions of readers who want to be "tough".
But, fans of "tough guy" literature... beware! Writers are liars. That wartime experience they're trying to impress you with might be fake or exaggerated. There are plenty of writers who only pretend to "keep it real" and invent "tough" life experiences.

Whenever a writer makes a point of being photographed in uniform or wearing medals, or talks at length about his/her "tough upbringing" I immediately get suspicious.

As for me? I am frequently baffled and puzzled by the world around me; I have no final answers to share. And as for the work of writing... it's about as macho as painting porcelain. I write in order to explore reality, not to give some "final explanation" of it.

An Apology

Right now, a large number of men are demanding the death of a schoolteacher... for the sake of a teddybear's name.
(Incidentally, several of these self-righteous men are bound to have the exact same name as said teddybear, but hey -- let's not demand that they behead themselves in the name of consistency.)

You angry men... this is for you:
-----------------------

A.R.Yngve

AN APOLOGY.


Dear angry street person,
you who are so busy burning flags
and effigies
waving your banners and placards
shouting your death threats
with such vigor
demanding apologies
for all the wrongs committed against you:
This is an apology.

We apologize
for being billions of people
around the world
who don't care
about what you say.

We apologize
for the billions of people
who lived before you were born
who cared even less
for what you say.

We apologize
for those not yet born
and not yet counted
who will without doubt offend you
in some way.

We apologize
on behalf of the countless thinking life forms
in the known universe
who won't care
to apologize to you
and who have the gall
to be ignorant
of your existence.

We beg forgiveness
for all the fictional characters
and drawings
and motion pictures
and mere thoughts
that offend you.

Let us also not forget
to apologize
for all the insulting things
that may be said
or pictured
or imagined
from now on
and billions of years
into the future.

We apologize
for being afraid
of your threatening demeanor
and for fearing your intolerant friends
who kill us.
We apologize
for being so rude
that we wish to live our lives
without constantly being told
that we should obey your commands.

We apologize
for believing in democracy
and freedom of speech
and equal rights for women
and freedom of mind.

We apologize
for our love of reason
and consistency
and logic
and common sense
and our aversion to killing people
for disagreeing with us.

We apologize
for all our belief systems
and philosophies
that are not as perfect as yours.

We apologize
for not much caring
about an afterlife
and for our selfish need
to improve living standards
in the here and now.

Humbly we apologize
for your birth.
Oh, what insult
that someone as divinely guided as yourself
was squeezed out between your mother's thighs
and born screaming in blood and pain,
like any other human being!
Someone as perfect as you
should have simply descended from the heavens.

How can we ever apologize enough
for the excrement
that insults your righteous behind
and dares to offend your nose
with its foul stench?
Your waste should have smelled of roses.

We apologize for the universe
and its reckless indifference
to your sacred convictions.
So many stars, so many planets
so many galaxies
are formed, and live, and die
without a care
for your hurt feelings!
We deeply, sincerely apologize
for the totality of existence
which has offended you
by not apologizing.

And finally we,
these billions of human beings
who so offend you
with our existence
apologize in advance
for the distant chance
that someday our patience
might run out.
And should that ever happen
then please tell God
that we're sorry.
-------------------------

(c)A.R.Yngve 2006. This is a work of fiction. Its intent is satirical.

On Consumer Identity And Reader Identity

Seth Godin tells an anecdote, and concludes that: "So many of the products and services we use are now about our identity. "

It struck me, reading Godin's blogpost, that some readers use books as a part of their identity. (Especially "genre fans," but perhaps not only them.)

Of course, from his marketing-guru point-of-view, this is something to use and exploit to sell stuff. But that's where we part ways.

I like to read the fiction of American author Philip K. Dick. (Ah, so that's why some call me a "dick." ;-)) Does this make his works a defining part of my identity? How far could that "identity" go?

- Dressing up as favorite characters from Dick's novels at costume parties and events?

- Writing "fan fiction" featuring characters and settings from his works?

- Going to special conventions for Philip K. Dick fans?

- Camping in ticket lines for NEXT (another movie based on Dick's stories)?

- Start believing that the author's stories are reality?

Naah! Why bother? What was it Chuck Palahniuk wrote in FIGHT CLUB?

"You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis."

It happens that people use their favorite books (such as a "holy book", or The Lord Of The Rings, or Ender's Game) to support their sense of self at volatile, vulnerable times in their lives.

And as long as they don't get overly fanatical about it, I suppose it won't harm them. But: You are not your favorite book/TV show/movie series. You are not fantasy. You are not sci-fi. You are not romance. You are not detective fiction. You are not horror. You are not mainstream lit. (You are not Tyler Durden.) Read something different once in a while.

That goes for writers too. You are not your favorite writer. You are not a genre. (You are not Chuck Palahniuk.) Don't trap your creativity for the sake of a narrowly defined "writer identity."

Buying or reading my books to express your identity probably doesn't work very well.
(By the way, I look forward to whether J.K. Rowling will try and write something completely different after her "Harry Potter" novels. What will she think of next? Isn't it more fun when you don't know in advance?)

Dave Langford On "Thog's Masterclass"

British writer and humorist Dave Langford invented "Thog's Masterclass" as an ongoing showcase of (unintentionally) hilarious prose quotes from science fiction and fantasy books.

Normally a standing feature of Langford's SF newsletter/webzine ANSIBLE, "Thog's Masterclass " has also been presented in his SFX Magazine column, and as live presentations at several SF/Fantasy conventions.

This page contains a text transcript of the live presentation of Thog's Masterclass.

The fascinating thing about these snippets of comically inept fiction-writing is that they are lifted from printed novels released by major publishers, even written by world-famous authors. As Langford puts it, "Every author, even Terry Pratchett, gives hostages to Thog."

No Big Name is spared in quotes such as these:
-----------------------------------
- Robert Heinlein sensitively describes a kiss from the female viewpoint in The Number of the Beast: 'Our teeth grated, and my nipples went spung!'

- Isaac Asimov in 'Satisfaction Guaranteed': 'She looked away, then let him slide gently into the corner of her eye.'

- Brian Aldiss demonstrates his knowledge of arcane geography in Remembrance Day: 'She wore large bronze earrings made in an obscure country which rattled when she laughed.'
-----------------------------------

Is there a lesson to be learned here? Well, apart from Nobody's Perfect So Get Over It, I'm not sure... ;)

Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium Is the Massage" (YouTube)

In order to understand (or meditate on) how writing (and other technology) affects our thinking, you MUST hear Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium Is the Massage" (YouTube):

The Medium Is the Massage, Part 1.1.
Part 1.2.
Part 1.3.
Part 2.1.
Part 2.2.
Part 2.3.

Choice quote:
"The artist: the Enema of Society."

Ny Skräck På Svenska: Antologin SCHAKT 004

Min novell "The Man Who Fell Out" kommer ut på svenska i antologin SCHAKT 004: KRÄLANDE CTHULHU och andra bedrägliga blindskär.





FÖRHANDSBESTÄLL SCHAKT 004 SENAST 31 MARS!

Det kommer inte att tryckas några ytterligare exemplar av Schakt så enda möjligheten att köpa är att abonnera, förhandsbeställa eller att köpa lösnummer hos SF-Bokhandeln.

Graham Sleight On Alfred Bester's Two Classic Novels

In LOCUS Magazine, Graham Sleight discusses Alfred Bester's two landmark novels THE DEMOLISHED MAN and THE STARS MY DESTINATION, their content, and their impact on the science fiction field:

Yesterday's Tomorrows: Alfred Bester

Required reading! (I still count those two novels among my SF favorites.)

Traducción al español: "CONVERSACIONES TELEFÓNICAS"

The Argentinian webzine AXXON has published a Spanish translation of my satirical short "Telephone Conversations."
This means "Telephone Conversations" has now appeared in English, Swedish, Chinese and Spanish -- my most translated story so far. Genial!

Dumskalle!

Den nya svenska bloggen Sajberspejs har publicerat min (mycket) korta novell "Dumskalle!"

TRANSLATION: Hurdi gurdi murdi Cyberspace Hardi murdi gurdi sturdi "Dummkopf!"

James Nicoll: "Readers are not owed anything by the writer"

When you're blogging, the comments to a post are what make it interesting.

Such as this blogpost by author James Nicoll: "What Readers Are Not Owed By Writers".

Now, Nicoll is expressing frustration with how the writer-reader relationship can go sour, when a reader becomes increasingly demanding.

Do I expect readers to treat me with awe, to scrape and bow before me and offer nothing but praise? Nah. It'd get boring. All I ask for is the Golden Rule: Treat me as you would like me to treat you.

But it seems people get confused about the author-reader relationship. It is not as simplistic as this:

Author=Producer
Reader=Customer

But then again, it's not really like this either:

Author=The Waiter
Reader=The Customer (Is Always Right)

Or like this:

Author=Soul Mate
Reader=Soul Mate

Some (deluded) persons see it like this:

Author=Evil Overlord Oppressor Who Claims "Copyright" Of Characters & Story
Reader=Loving Fan Who Writes Erotic Fanfiction With Author's Characters, And What's Wrong With That?

Or like this:

Author=God-Like Creator Of Immortal Art
Reader=Author's Slave

Not to sound overly cynical, but apparently nothing sours the author-reader relation like success. The more books a writer sells, the more readers start to think the author "owes" them something or other.

Alix Amnamáre puts it this way:

"I think all this can be boiled down to one thing: readers are not owed the fulfillment of their expectations. That is, readers can expect whatever they want, but if those expectations are not fulfilled, they cannot place the blame on the writer."

Author S.L. Viehl weighs in; much commentry ensues.

(See also my post on how critics expect things and get disappointed when expectations are not met.)

Robert Silverberg's "When We Went To See The End Of The World" (Podcast)

A treat: an audio reading of Robert Silverberg's short story "When We Went To See The End Of The World" (Note: large MP3 file).

Other such sci-fi podcasts are available at escapepod.org

New review of THE FACE IN THE DOOR

Canadian writer and columnist Clayton Bye has posted a very nice review of my short-story collection THE FACE IN THE DOOR And Other Stories...

Review quote:
"All the pieces have some element of horror, but I also found Yngve writes with a sort of tongue-in-cheek, understated sense of humour. This takes the edge off endings which rarely turn out well and also allows the readers some breathing room to think about the ideas we're being offered."

Bye's review appears on the Gotta Write Network, one of the few sites I know that actually reviews Print-On-Demand books. My book was published as an e-book and then also self-published in paperback format through CafePress, so it's hard to classify as either category -- but he received a paperback review copy.

The CafePress edition of THE FACE IN THE DOOR is still for sale at CafePress, at the outrageous price of $19.99. The text is in large print, suitable for nearsighted readers (like me).

On Writer Feuds

Writers are not necessarily friendly with other writers all the time. What with the competition for sales and prizes, some good-natured professional rivalry is to be expected.

If you write fiction for an extended period of time (up to a decade or more), it is almost certain that at some point in the future, some other writer will pick a fight with you. Not a REAL fistfight, that is, but with words.

So writers get into feuds with each other. The examples are many, all of them embarrassing. Why squabble when the stakes are so small? Why do great minds succumb to petty impulses and get involved in long, bitter feuds -- often over tablescraps?

When things go really wrong, writers sue each other. The authors of HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL sued Dan Brown for allegedly stealing ideas from them. The poor fools lost the case and a great deal of the profits they had earned as a direct consequence of THE DA VINCI CODE helping sales of their book.

Writer feuds are mainly about pride, not money -- and thus they extend beyond the grave! When a writer dies, especially a successful one, jealous rivals will come out and badmouth his/her memory. When a long-dead writer receives some public honor, a jealous colleague will dish out some dirt on the dead rival, in the vain hope that it tarnishes the glory.

There is no law stating that you must treat all other writers' work with reverence, no matter what -- after all, if you make your writings public, you do give others license to criticize.

But avoid feuds. They get too personal, and suck creative energy out of your life that should have been used for better things. If another writer tries to pick a fight with you, simply ignore him. Don't get mad! It's not worth it.

If you have resentments and grudges, you can always channel them into your fiction...
;-)

Homepage Update, Dec. 3, 2006

The homepage update this weekend contains:

- Chapter 15 of the satirical serial A.R.Yngve's READING BOOK.

-Chapter 10 of the sci-fi spoof "The MSTing Of DARC AGES".

Enjoy... :)