Dean Wesley Smith’s Agents Discussion — A Must-Read

Go here (http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/) and read the ongoing discussion about literary agents.

Saturday, February 6th, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Amazon and then what?

I’m still thinking about the Amazon move.  Many of my friends are writing about how horrible it is and how they hope MacMillan will win.  If they do win, my response will be “Cool!” 

But I know technology and I’ve seen business wars. 

The first computer I ever used was a Dec-10.  I surfed the Internet when it was still called Arpanet.   And many in my family are unionized auto workers in Detroit.

Also, I read speculative fiction.

How does this all connect? 

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a famous piece of dialog for his character Sherlock Holmes: “When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

Isaac Asimov in _The Naked Sun_ took issue with that.  What if you have eliminated ten possibilities but an eleventh or twelfth remanins, ones you don’t know about? 

I’ve jumped to the tenth conclusion too often, even after living through Detroit riots and the Silicon Revolution.  I don’t think I’ll let myself do that this time.  I’m still watching, right now, still watching.

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Amazon – MacMillan = Baen

Amazon has pulled ebooks published by MacMillan off of its site. This notice in Publisher’s marketplace might clarify some of what’s transpiring.

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/macmillan_30jan10.html

I hear Baen is having some success with its ebook distribution model.

http://www.baen.com/

I just spent the week with a filmmaker friend of mine in LA (yes, the one whose cat passed away)  and got yet another perspective on the electronic creative properties upheaval.  At this point the information is confidential and I make mention of it only to annoy you.

It’s quite an exciting time, really.  It reminds me of the textile workers’ riots when power looms were invented.

http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/luddo.htm

Before I get flamed by publishers and authors because they have assumed I’m calling them Luddites,  I would like to clarify:  I’m comparing the turmoil level, not the conclusion.  And I happen to like (non-lethal)  turmoil on principle.

Given what I know,  I currently conclude that what I need most is to know more.  Or to finish writing for the night.  One or the other.

Saturday, January 30th, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Make Your Own Parasite

Make Your Own Parasite…er, I mean, Run Your Computer from a USB Thumb Drive
Also known as Fedora on a Stick
Depending on why your computer crashed, you may be able to get to your data by booting from a thumb drive.   Yes, that’s right–stick a thumb drive in, turn the computer on, and even if your operating system is corrupted, you may still see it when it boots up.   Even if you had been running Windows, you may still be saved.  You may even be able to connect to the Internet, and run the word processor already loaded onto the parasite…er, thumb drive.
It’s worth trying, right?
Here’s what you do:
Go here and download the free program Fedora Live USB Creator.  Install it on your computer– hopefully it hasn’t crashed yet–and follow the directions.
If you allocate persistent storage, you can save your own data to the thumb drive, so after you turn off the host computer, your data will still be on the parasite…er, the thumb drive, that you take away with you.
You may have to go into the CMOS and tell the host computer to try to boot first from the USB before it tries the CD or hard drive, so this technique is a bit advanced.  It’s well worth learning, though, especially since your friends will then interrupt you and not me when their computers crash.

Find more information at Lifehacker.

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 Tech for Authors No Comments

Checking in

Really.  I’m just checking in.  Peeking into the Bloghouse, making sure it has food, water, treats, the thermal blanket is on, patting it on the head, and promising I’ll play as soon as I extinguish the gasoline fire in the attic.

Saturday, January 9th, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Migrating Old Posts to New Site

I’ve had several previous blogs; I’ve posted some good stuff, too.  So if you’re looking for the ruptured eardrum demonstration, the data security posts, or the GOTEM for Writers, fear not:  Betimes they shall appear at your service in this very location.

Thursday, January 7th, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Aspiring Writer Goes to Disneyland

I’ve been watching one of my relatives, who swears she wants to be a songwriter, engaged in frantic activity this New Year’s holiday.  She’s played Mario 3D on the Wii with her boyfriend, engaged in multi-guitar singalongs with neighbors, and spent at least two hours a day in the bathroom finding exactly the right singer-songwriter hairdo for when she gets famous.  She’s even acquired a fourth guitar.

The only time she’s actually written even the melody for a song section happened when I sat in the chair next to her saying “This might be a good way to alpha-write a melody. Try it,” and glared at her.

Meanwhile I’ve been scolded on more than one occasion for never leaving my room and being boring.  “You’re going to lose your eyesight staring at the screen writing all day.”

I think I’ve become more frustrated with the situation because I see my younger self in her activities this week.  I see the misconceptions, the lack of confidence, and the peer pressure.  And worst, I see the talent being wasted.

I’m just sayin’…

Oh and by the way, out of all my family members, I’m the only one who doesn’t need glasses.

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 Uncategorized No Comments

The French Fries in Question

French Fry in a Bottle is a Message from GodDuring Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith’s Master Class, these delectable french fries served as the inspiration for the story “French Fry in a Bottle is a Message from God.”  Enjoy!

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Friday, January 1st, 2010 Yep, I wrote that. No Comments

Moving Day

Greetings.  I’m migrating to another CMS.

Saturday, December 19th, 2009 Uncategorized No Comments