Posted on 2009.07.10 at 12:37
Current Mood: 
hot
Current Music: Spoon - Don't Make Me A Target
Tags: concerts, rock, spoon
We braved the 107!!! degree heat yesterday to catch Spoon perform outside at Stubbs. Really, really cool show. If you live in Austin, they're playing again tonight and tomorrow. Definitely worth checking out.
If you don't know Spoon, here's a clip. Same venue we went to yesterday, but a couple of years ago.
Posted on 2009.06.30 at 17:13
Current Mood: 
sick
Current Music: Metric - Gimmie Sympathy
Tags: cbmfl, wheatland
Wheatland Press is having a sale! This from Deborah Layne:
Let's try that summer sale thing...
Starting right now and ending on July 31, 2009 at midnight (Pacific Time), buy any two Wheatland Press titles and get a third title absolutely free. Just specify the title of your free book choice in the comment box of the PayPal form.
As always, if you prefer not to use Paypal, you may email your order to me directly (inquiries(at)wheatlandpress.com).
http://www.wheatlandpress.comSo if you've been thinking about buying my book or one of their other great titles, now's a good time.
Posted on 2009.06.23 at 08:47
Current Mood: 
good
Current Music: The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Tags: eric marin, gardner dozois, honorable mentions, lone star stories, no leaving new orleans, short fiction
I got the word from
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
ericmarin that Gardner Dozois selected my story "No Leaving New Orleans" for Honorable Mention in his Year's Best Science Fiction: The Twenty Sixth Annual Collection. This is my first mention in the Dozois series, and I'm pretty excited about it.
The story originally appeared in Lone Star Stories, and can still be found in their archives here:
http://literary.erictmarin.com/archives/Issue%2027/leaving.htmThanks to Eric for letting me know, and thanks to Gardner Dozois for the mention.
Posted on 2009.05.11 at 16:57
Current Mood: 
pessimistic
Current Music: Blackpool Lights - This Town's Disaster
Tags: writing, writing avoidance
I'm gonna write something new...seriously...real soon now. Probably.
Posted on 2009.05.01 at 16:17
Current Mood: 
creative
Current Music: Teenage Fanclub - Metal Baby
Tags: agents, cole novel, novels
The Cole Novel is finally whipped into shape and off to my agent. I can officially wash my hands of it now until I get feedback from Kris or from my first readers.
Which means I can write something else now without feeling like I'm slacking on the book.
Time for some short stories!
Posted on 2009.04.29 at 11:01
Current Mood: 
crazy
Current Music: Obits - Military Madness
Tags: agents, cole novel, first readers, novels, revisions, sports, spurs, travel
I finished up the novel revisions last night after watching the Spurs fade. The good news is, I don't think the novel sucks overly much, and it might even be pretty decent. I've sent it out to first readers to get their feedback so evidence of suckitude or non suckitude should be forthcoming. Now I have to write a short summary (something I really hate doing) and then I'll get the whole thing off to my agent as well.
Even better news, I'll be back home this afternoon and won't have to leave Austin again until Monday! Four whole days at home! Woot!
I really need a weekend.
Posted on 2009.04.06 at 11:19
Current Mood: crazy
Current Music: The Byrds - My Back Pages
Tags: lss, reviews, short fiction
Bibliophile stalker has a nice review of the latest Lone Star Stories and my story, "Gone Daddy Gone."
Check it out:
http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2009/04/bookmagazine-review-lone-star-stories.htmlThanks, Charles!
Posted on 2009.04.01 at 17:23
Current Mood: 
busy
Current Music: The Decemberists - The Rake
Tags: lss, short fiction
The April issue of Lone Star Stories is up, and it includes my story "Gone Daddy Gone." This is my surf movie retelling of the Swan Maiden myth. You can check it out right here:
http://literary.erictmarin.com/gone.htmHere's the whole table of contents:
Fiction:
1. "People, Unnoticed" by Patricia Russo
2. "Off the Path" by Nicole Kornher-Stace
3. "Gone Daddy Gone" by Josh Rountree
Poetry:
1. "Fjöturlundr (Saturnian)" by Sonya Taaffe
2. "Bones of the God" by Ann K. Schwader
3. "The Maiden to the Fox Did Say" by Amal El-Mohtar and Nicole Kornher-Stace
Enjoy.
Posted on 2009.03.19 at 10:04
Current Mood: good
Current Music: XTC - When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty
Tags: quiz
 | I am:William Gibson The chief instigator of the "cyberpunk" wave of the 1980s, his razzle-dazzle futuristic intrigues were, for a while, the most imitated work in science fiction. |
Which science fiction writer are you?
Posted on 2009.03.19 at 09:39
Current Mood: 
awake
Current Music: Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Tags: birthdays
Today I am 36.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Except for, I got a donut birthday cake, so I've got that going for me.
And I got some nice crayola created birthday cards.
And I'll probably wind up at the book store or the record store today.
And my wife and kids are all sweet.
I guess being 36 isn't so bad.
Have a great day, everyone!
Posted on 2009.03.12 at 17:51
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: XTC - Are You Receiving Me?
Tags: cole novel, novels, writing
I just finished writing a new novel. Whew!
It weighed in at a little over 100,000 words, though I'll clip some of that as I make another pass through the manuscript. I'm going to go back through it to edit for consistency, etc. then it's off to the agent and the first readers for their advice / ridicule.
I still don't have a name for this one, but I've been calling it the Cole Novel during the writing process. That'll do for now.
It's good to be finished!
Posted on 2009.03.11 at 12:48
Current Mood: 
calm
Current Music: The Get Up Kids - Campfire Kansas
Tags: john klima, polyphony, short fiction, tor
Over at Tor.com, John Klima blogs his list of Top Ten Most Influential Fantasy & Science Fiction Anthologies / Anthology Series:
http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=17022The Polyphony anthology series made the list! My story "Chasing America" appeared in the 6th volume, and I have a story slated for the forthcoming 7th volume. Pretty cool!
Congrats to
wheatland_press!
Posted on 2009.03.10 at 15:49
Current Mood: optimistic
Current Music: The Black Lips - Short Fuse
Word's getting around that Realms of Fantasy is back in businss under a new publisher. Congrats to Shawna, Doug and everyone else!
As a reader, I'm excited to have more great stuff to read. And as a writer, I'm glad that I won't be losing that excellent market for my fiction.
Woo!
Posted on 2009.03.06 at 22:17
Current Mood: creative
Current Music: The Get Up Kids - Shorty
Tags: novels, writing
The novel is rocking. Words are coming quickly and things are coming to a head. I like this part.
Just wanted you to know why it's been quiet here.
Head down, writing...
Posted on 2009.02.24 at 20:48
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: The Ramones - Do Ya Wanna Dance
Tags: lss, sales, short stories
Speaking of story marketing...
I just got word from
ericmarin that he's buying "Gone Daddy Gone" for Lone Star Stories. The story will appear in the April 2009 issue. This is my surf movie / beat retelling of the Swan Maiden myth.
Cool, daddio!
Posted on 2009.02.24 at 13:22
Current Mood: 
determined
Current Music: Nick Lowe - Raging Eyes
Tags: marketing, novels, short fiction, writing
I'm a week or so behind on my self imposed novel writing schedule due to a computer crash, but I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow and expect to catch up. I WILL have this novel finished no later than my birthday in mid March.
Then, I owe a collaborator some words on a short story, and I have a few others brewing. I'd like to knock out 2-3 stories before diving into the next novel. We'll see how that goes.
Apart from that, I have a few stories I'm marketing so hopefully I'll get some bites.
Overall, I think Feb's been a pretty good writing month. What about the rest of you?
Posted on 2009.02.17 at 14:27
Current Mood: good
Current Music: XTC - Are You Receiving Me
Tags: cbmfl, wheatland
Deb Layne reports that Wheatland Press is having a SALE!!!
Here's the scoop from Deb's journal:
*******
Hey, I'm still selling books here!
Let's have an "Inventory Reduction" Sale*.
Buy any two titles and get a third one of your choosing absolutely free!!
Specify your FREE selection in the Paypal comment box.
http://www.wheatlandpress.comSale offer is good through March 15, 2009.
*******
Okay, everyone, go buy!! Support the small press!! And, of course, if you want, you can get my collection "Can't Buy Me Faded Love." Or not. It's not like my kids need to eat or anything. But buy SOMETHING! There are plenty of great titles to choose from!
Posted on 2009.02.16 at 15:00
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: XTC - Science Friction
Tags: mikal trimm, realms of fantasy, reviews, short fiction
The Fix posted some new reviews this weekend and they had some nice things to say about a couple of my stories. First up, the December 2008 issue of Realms of Fantasy. This is a very positive review of "Fragments of a Fantasy Life," a story I co-wrote with Mikal Trimm. The reviewer says it "should be ranked among the top stories of the genre." Yikes! That's high praise. Dig it here:
http://thefix-online.com/reviews/realms-of-fantasy-dec-2008/And, a mostly positive review of "When the Rain Comes" from the Lone Star Stories Reader anthology:
http://thefix-online.com/reviews/lone-star-stories-reader/Thanks to the reviewers for taking the time to read these stories, and for their kind words!
Posted on 2009.02.07 at 19:47
Current Mood: creative
Current Music: XTC - Senses Working Overtime
Tags: novels, raw power, scribe agency, short fiction, writing
Haven't posted any writing updates lately, but I'm plugging away at the novel in progress and I've passed 80k words. I've got the end in my sights!
My agent liked the requested revisions on Raw Power and it's time to start shopping the thing. Fingers crossed.
As for shorts, I'm working on a couple. Both are moving slooooooowly.
Have a great Saturday night, everyone!
Posted on 2009.02.07 at 19:41
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Nick Lowe - Raging Eyes
Shaun Farrell posted a brief article at the Adventures in SciFi Publishing web site about the demise of Realms of Fantasy, the efforts to save it, and short fiction in general. I am quoted in the article along with a few other writers. You can find it here:
http://www.adventuresinscifipublishing.com/2009/02/spec-fic-magazines/
