Help P&E! You know the saying no good deed goes unpunished? Preditors and Editors is a site that helps keep novice writers from being ripped off by scam artist agents and publishers. They're one of the "go to" sites I always recommend to folks wanting to be published. Their services are free. Now they're being sued by someone claiming to have been libeled by them as a scam artist. I believe P&E will be fully vindicated, but they need financial help to mount their legal defense. If you're a writer who's ever used P&E, now's the time to step forward and help them. Go to their website and make a PayPal donation to their legal defense fund. The internet is full of shady publishers and agents. There are few out there protecting the newbie writers, but P&E has been on the front lines for years doing their best.
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Boskone 45! The trip started with an uneventful flight to Newark. This time I took the AirTrain into Penn Station, and appreciated the convenience. It was a little difficult wrestling my luggage on and off the train, but I arrived safely. When I got outside Penn Station I was thinking “Hey! It’s the middle of the afternoon and traffic will be light.” But I managed to time my stepping outside with a Sesame Street production concluding at Madison Square Garden, and there were school buses and hordes of small children blocking the taxi lane. Fortunately, the weather wasn’t too bad. Cold, in the 30's, but sunny. My son left the key with the doorman for me and I made myself at home in his apartment, then headed out for a bite to eat and some leg stretching. As I’ve mentioned, one of the advantages of his living on the Upper West Side is everything is right there. All kinds of food, liquor stores, drug stores, clothing–whatever I wanted it was within five blocks of his apartment...
Boskone 45 Schedule Here's my schedule, and I hope to see some of you in Boston! If the panel has an "M" next to my name, it means I'm the moderator. Friday 5pm Flash for Fanboys -- Appreciating the Flashman Stories Darlene Marshall Ernest Lilley (M) Brigadier-General Sir Harry Flashman (1822-1915) was a debauched, bullying coward who became acclaimed for heroism on every battlefield of the 19th century. In twelve delightfully cynical books by George McDonald Fraser, who died last month, Flashman goes everywhere and meets everybody from Charles Darwin to Sherlock Holmes, Karl Marx to Kit Carson. Why do the Flashman tales appeal to our fanboys? Despite (or because of) Flashman's caddishness, can fangirls enjoy them too? Do the stories qualify as true Tim Powers-style secret histories? What similarities does Flashy share with genre protagonists such as Dominic Flandry, Malcolm Reynolds, Miles Vorkosigan, or Vlad Taltos? Friday 9pm Writi...
Today's meme, taken from my other blog at LiveJournal. As is usual with these critters, you're invited to lift it and share it at your own blog: 1) Are you currently in a serious relationship? A.Yes. Married 33 years this month. 2) What was your dream growing up? A. To be a journalist. And I was, for over 10 years. 3) What talent do you wish you had? A. A sense of rhythm so I could dance more with my husband. 4) If I bought you a drink what would it be? A. Premium single malt scotch. 5) Favorite vegetable? A.Broccoli. 6) What was the last book you read? A. Justinian's Flea . 7) What zodiac sign are you? A. Aries. 8) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where. A. Pierced ears--one hole each. 9) Worst Habit? A. procrastination. 10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride? A. If I know you, yes. 11) What is your favorite sport? A. Sleeping. Walking's a close second. 12) Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude? A. Depends on the time of d...
I really should be out running errands, but I'm enjoying too much sitting on my back porch on a cloudless, 83F (28C) day, watching the gusty winds sway the trees in the back yard and make the wind chimes sing. Days like this don't happen that often. They're meant to be enjoyed. And here's one way to enjoy them:
I have an appointment this afternoon to join another member of our library foundation board at a framing shop. I’ve served on the Alachua County (Florida) Library District Foundation board for years, and our purpose is to raise one million dollars for our library endowment fund. So why am I going to a frame shop? Because one of my tasks on the board was to oversee renovation of our meeting room at the Headquarters Library. The space was industrial and utilitarian, and what we wanted was a board room–a place that made people feel when they walked in that it was more than functional, it was attractive. Attractive rooms make people more relaxed, and we hope that translates into not only a nice meeting space for us, but also a room that will help potential donors see our organization as successful and worthy of bequests. At the frame shop I’ll have to weigh in with my opinion on matting, framing the art for our board room, the lighting, the colors in the board room, etc. These details m...