I just finished watching the full Stewart and Cramer interview on www.thedailyshow.com. Normally, I don’t recommend getting news from Jon Stewart. Yes, he’s informative. Yes, he offers a unique perspective on world events. Yes, he’s entertaining. However, he’s a comedian. He’s not news.
But! This interview is exceptional.
If I could, I’d thank Cramer for agreeing to the interview. I gained some respect for the man. I feel like he was honest with Stewart. We cannot change the past. Experts will make mistakes. It’s positively refreshing to watch someone say, “We screwed up.” (NOT a direct quote) It’s even more refreshing to watch a professional say, “It’s legal, but it’s shenanigans and should be stopped. And, furthermore, I once participated in it.” (NOT a direct quote)
Bravo Cramer. Bravo for admitting your mistakes. Bravo for admitting CNBC could have done more. Bravo for listening and not blaming “loser homeowners”. Bravo, Jon Stewart, for being so damn insightful.
What happened to our news when I feel like in-depth reporting comes from a comedian? When did fancy graphics and an interactive map replace good solid reporting? When did the news become bloated with commentary and opinion and bereft of fact and investigation?
Hey, news networks! If I want commentary and opinion, I’ll read a damn blog. If I’m tuning into the news, I want news. Yes, interview people, but don’t assume they’re being honest. If Jon Steward and Stephen Colbert can pull clips from the past showing contradictions, why can’t you? And, for crying out loud, please stop playing the freaking commentary and opinion on the screen while the real news scrolls across the bottom.
Our economy is in shambles. I don’t pretend to understand how we got here, but with three 24-hours news networks and two 24-hour financial news networks, shouldn’t someone be reporting on the dirty backroom deals on Wall Street? Shouldn’t someone shine some light on the shady-but-legal artificial means of manipulating the market? Why does it feel like the people who most believe in a free market economy are the ones who artificially control and manipulate it?
Has Wall Street abandoned ethics? Did Wall Street ever have ethics?
Showing posts with label Kudos to others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kudos to others. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friday, September 14, 2007
And life keeps getting better!
I've been given a piece of fanart for About to Sin! Here's a link to an LJ post where I thank the artist and show the art.
I'm completely thrilled!
I'm completely thrilled!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Advice site.
KM Frontain has a wonderful writing advice site up. I try to read as much of these types of articles as possible. Not every piece of advice written on the net is worth heeding, but knowing what I disagree with and why I disagree with it is rather important and useful.
I need to work on POV transitions and I’m doing my best to learn what I can, but this has to be some of the best advice I’ve ever read about POV.
Here are some quotes from her POV article.
1A. Always lead away from one character POV to another using action, speech, or a "timing or placement" phrase.
What's a timing or placement phrase? Things like "Over on George's side of the table" or "When his friend looked into the kitchen". It's that simple. Actually, the timing and placement comes in if you use action to move away from a certain character's POV.
Personally, I love doing this. In Tainted Past the first POV transition is when the main POV character feels the effects of the morphine. Other times I have the character leave the scene or a new character enter as a transition marker. I see now that my transitions in Tainted Past are smoother than those in Full Circle.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of Full Circle. I think it’s good work, but it is a first novel. It’s the official starting point of my growth as a writer. I can only imagine how in 5 years I’d finesse the work I’m doing now.
Tainted Past is told mainly from Tyler’s POV. Most of the emotion and the power in the scenes will be from Tyler’s perspective. However, there is information critical to the story that is only known by the other characters and that’s why this story needs third person and not first person.
Here’s another quote from the article.
You had better not intrude one perspective or thought pattern belonging to one character into the thoughts of another, unless they're telepathically connected.
I’m glad KM included this. There are always exceptions to rules and telepathically connected characters are the exception. Well, it’s not really an exception is it? If they’re telepathically connected then the character B’s POV becomes character A’s POV. There’s a section in Full Circle, during a sex scene, where this briefly happens.
This is another gem from the article.
3. Be careful of your pronouns; do not leave your reader wondering who is speaking, acting or thinking.
What do I mean? Because multiple characters are acting or speaking, you can't just use "him" or "he" if all your characters are male.
When people read their first m/m it takes a while to become accustomed to the “name heavy” aspect of it. When het readers from a writing group I sometimes attend read one of my excerpts, I can count on them marking paragraphs as name heavy.
When I get that back, I’ll check it over and tweak it. I’ll also make a note about it and ask my editor to check it for being name heavy. My editor has never considered the paragraph name heavy. By het standards they would be name heavy, but by m/m standards they aren’t. It’s the nature of the beast. If there can be any doubt about the object of the preposition, use the name.
Thanks to KM for writing such informative articles!
I need to work on POV transitions and I’m doing my best to learn what I can, but this has to be some of the best advice I’ve ever read about POV.
Here are some quotes from her POV article.
1A. Always lead away from one character POV to another using action, speech, or a "timing or placement" phrase.
What's a timing or placement phrase? Things like "Over on George's side of the table" or "When his friend looked into the kitchen". It's that simple. Actually, the timing and placement comes in if you use action to move away from a certain character's POV.
Personally, I love doing this. In Tainted Past the first POV transition is when the main POV character feels the effects of the morphine. Other times I have the character leave the scene or a new character enter as a transition marker. I see now that my transitions in Tainted Past are smoother than those in Full Circle.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of Full Circle. I think it’s good work, but it is a first novel. It’s the official starting point of my growth as a writer. I can only imagine how in 5 years I’d finesse the work I’m doing now.
Tainted Past is told mainly from Tyler’s POV. Most of the emotion and the power in the scenes will be from Tyler’s perspective. However, there is information critical to the story that is only known by the other characters and that’s why this story needs third person and not first person.
Here’s another quote from the article.
You had better not intrude one perspective or thought pattern belonging to one character into the thoughts of another, unless they're telepathically connected.
I’m glad KM included this. There are always exceptions to rules and telepathically connected characters are the exception. Well, it’s not really an exception is it? If they’re telepathically connected then the character B’s POV becomes character A’s POV. There’s a section in Full Circle, during a sex scene, where this briefly happens.
This is another gem from the article.
3. Be careful of your pronouns; do not leave your reader wondering who is speaking, acting or thinking.
What do I mean? Because multiple characters are acting or speaking, you can't just use "him" or "he" if all your characters are male.
When people read their first m/m it takes a while to become accustomed to the “name heavy” aspect of it. When het readers from a writing group I sometimes attend read one of my excerpts, I can count on them marking paragraphs as name heavy.
When I get that back, I’ll check it over and tweak it. I’ll also make a note about it and ask my editor to check it for being name heavy. My editor has never considered the paragraph name heavy. By het standards they would be name heavy, but by m/m standards they aren’t. It’s the nature of the beast. If there can be any doubt about the object of the preposition, use the name.
Thanks to KM for writing such informative articles!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Acts of Charity by Erotica Writers
Erotica—stories about characters that have hot steamy sex. Aside from the obvious things such as reminding people that they're sexual beings, giving people a safe place to celebrate being a sexual being, helping sexual assault victims heal just a teeny bit and providing more therapy to writers than readers would ever want to know and a few other things, what other types of good come out of erotica?
I'm going to tell you about two things going on right now.
First, there's "Coming Together: For The Cure" anthology edited by Alessia Brio and being published by Phaze. This anthology will be generating money for breast cancer research. Coming Together: For The Cure website
Second, K. M. Frontain is making a personal sacrifice. The royalties she earns on her title Loved Him 1 will be donated to Gai Écoute, an organization in Quebec that helps GLBT teens who have been turned away from their families. She'll be turning in her donation come January. K. M.'s myspace blog post dated July 07, 2007 explains this in more detail. KM's myspace. Friend her darn it.
Certainly there are other authors who are doing things to give back to humanity and I mean no disrespect by failing to mention them here. If I don't know about the selfless deeds, I can't report them.
So, please, help these Alessia Brio and KM Frontain in their efforts. Purchase those books (Coming Together isn't ready yet) and also buy something else by KM Frontain so she can eat.
I know there are certain religious groups *cough* fundamentalists *cough* and a certain company who has banned me because they run a "wholesome romance website" and my readers (those who enjoy the beauty of male/male couplings) aren't her audience for her "wholesome" business. *rolls eyes*, --who don't see the good that we do. However, I think if they understood how much erotica writers give of themselves through their work and acts of charity like these, they'd be more welcoming of the work that we do.
Kudos to them! Keep up the great work ladies!
Cup
Yes, that's one more thing I can add to my banned from list. Let's see here…my list is now (not in order of occurrence)…
1) Asked to leave a Christian outreach center. (I didn't even get to say anything.)
2) Banned from an IHOP location
3) Snubbed by countless priests.
4) Asked to leave the Methodist church by the same preacher who'd encouraged me to go into the ministry.
5) Banned from the Consumption Junction chat room.
6) Snubbed by a Pagan fellowship board because I have a priest listed in my top friends. (on myspace)
7) Banned by a "wholesome romance" website.
8) Rejected twice by publishers for writing a story that's "too controversial" due to "religious themes" and "rape/torture" themes.
9) Banned from a Christian Outreach chat room. (Once again I didn't even get to say anything.)
It feels like I'm skipping something.
Anyways…
I'm doing AWESOME! Now, if I could only get the Roman Catholic Church to protest one of my books, I'd be GOLDEN!
A garland gay we bring you here
And at your door we stand
It is a sprout well budded out
The work of Our Lord's hand.
~Mummer's Dance by Loreena McKennitt
I'm going to tell you about two things going on right now.
First, there's "Coming Together: For The Cure" anthology edited by Alessia Brio and being published by Phaze. This anthology will be generating money for breast cancer research. Coming Together: For The Cure website
Second, K. M. Frontain is making a personal sacrifice. The royalties she earns on her title Loved Him 1 will be donated to Gai Écoute, an organization in Quebec that helps GLBT teens who have been turned away from their families. She'll be turning in her donation come January. K. M.'s myspace blog post dated July 07, 2007 explains this in more detail. KM's myspace. Friend her darn it.
Certainly there are other authors who are doing things to give back to humanity and I mean no disrespect by failing to mention them here. If I don't know about the selfless deeds, I can't report them.
So, please, help these Alessia Brio and KM Frontain in their efforts. Purchase those books (Coming Together isn't ready yet) and also buy something else by KM Frontain so she can eat.
I know there are certain religious groups *cough* fundamentalists *cough* and a certain company who has banned me because they run a "wholesome romance website" and my readers (those who enjoy the beauty of male/male couplings) aren't her audience for her "wholesome" business. *rolls eyes*, --who don't see the good that we do. However, I think if they understood how much erotica writers give of themselves through their work and acts of charity like these, they'd be more welcoming of the work that we do.
Kudos to them! Keep up the great work ladies!
Cup
Yes, that's one more thing I can add to my banned from list. Let's see here…my list is now (not in order of occurrence)…
1) Asked to leave a Christian outreach center. (I didn't even get to say anything.)
2) Banned from an IHOP location
3) Snubbed by countless priests.
4) Asked to leave the Methodist church by the same preacher who'd encouraged me to go into the ministry.
5) Banned from the Consumption Junction chat room.
6) Snubbed by a Pagan fellowship board because I have a priest listed in my top friends. (on myspace)
7) Banned by a "wholesome romance" website.
8) Rejected twice by publishers for writing a story that's "too controversial" due to "religious themes" and "rape/torture" themes.
9) Banned from a Christian Outreach chat room. (Once again I didn't even get to say anything.)
It feels like I'm skipping something.
Anyways…
I'm doing AWESOME! Now, if I could only get the Roman Catholic Church to protest one of my books, I'd be GOLDEN!
A garland gay we bring you here
And at your door we stand
It is a sprout well budded out
The work of Our Lord's hand.
~Mummer's Dance by Loreena McKennitt
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Thank you!
When I check my inbox, myspace, LJ or blogspot and I find feedback from readers, I’m always floored and humbled. I’ve often said that I have the best readers in the world and I’m constantly reminded of that.
Thank you, dear readers, for allowing me into your computer screens. Thank you for allowing me to entertain you. Thank you for telling me what you like about my work. Thank you for telling me what didn’t work for you, providing me with the opportunity to grow and giving me a second chance to show you my growth. Thank you for not turning your backs on me when I make mistakes.
I don’t expect to change the world with my work, but if I can, for one brief moment, pull you from the chaos of the world, entertain you and remind you of the beauty of sexuality; then, my work is done.
Thank you for giving me that opportunity. Thank you, The Powers That Be, for giving me a gift to share with the world. Thank you, technology, for giving me a keyboard and spell check so that can I express myself and hide the fact that I’m a horrible speller.
I close with a few quotes from great minds:
The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything.
John Irving (1942 - )
The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.
Leo Rosten (1908 - )
Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.
Thomas Berger
We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965)
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.
Robert Heinlein (1907 - 1988)
Thank you, dear readers, for allowing me into your computer screens. Thank you for allowing me to entertain you. Thank you for telling me what you like about my work. Thank you for telling me what didn’t work for you, providing me with the opportunity to grow and giving me a second chance to show you my growth. Thank you for not turning your backs on me when I make mistakes.
I don’t expect to change the world with my work, but if I can, for one brief moment, pull you from the chaos of the world, entertain you and remind you of the beauty of sexuality; then, my work is done.
Thank you for giving me that opportunity. Thank you, The Powers That Be, for giving me a gift to share with the world. Thank you, technology, for giving me a keyboard and spell check so that can I express myself and hide the fact that I’m a horrible speller.
I close with a few quotes from great minds:
The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything.
John Irving (1942 - )
The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.
Leo Rosten (1908 - )
Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.
Thomas Berger
We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965)
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.
Robert Heinlein (1907 - 1988)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
A blogging award!
K.M. Fontain has named me a Rockin’ Wench Blogger! Thank you KM!
And that has reminded me that I need to show my blogspot a bit more love. I give plenty of attention to my LJ and my myspace, but I neglect this poor little blog. I think that’s because I’m actively trying to be professional here and I don’t want a whole bunch of cross-posting on my blogs.
So, here’s what you can expect from my other blogs.
LJ is my most personal blog. That’s where you get to see me batshit insane. When I fight with bouts of insomnia and I get that spazz session just before crashing, I post it there. I also post fanfiction there. So if you’re one of those “Oh noes! The EEBILS of fanfiction!!!111ONE!!!” Types, then give it a pass. I also do a lot of fangirling there. So, yes, you get to see me at my fanigirling worst with things like, “OMG! Hakkai and Gojyo are so freaking HAWT!” or “OMG! Have you seen the raws of the Burial Arc yet?” or “I have new doujinshi to share!” and all that other great kind of stuff.
Myspace is an intellectual-personal blend between LJ and Blogspot. That’s also where I’ll put out some of my humor such as translating the first few chapters of the Bible in netspeak:
Genesis 1:1 G0d wrote BIOS.
Genesis 1:2-25 G0d slung code.
Genesis 1: 27 G0d used a hex editor and cheat code.
*Adam_01 has entered the chat*
Genesis 2:2 Reboot.
Genesis 2: 16-17 G0d: “Eat this and u phail.”
Genesis 2: 20 Adam_01: :( *sniffle* “lonely”
Genesis 2:21-22 G0d used another cheat code.
*Eve_02 has entered the chat*
Genesis 2:23 Adam_01: “OMG! R0xz0rz! Cyber? Woot!”
Genesis 3: 1 Eve_02: “WTF! No wai! 4 real? G0d sayz dat?”
Genesis 3:2 Adam_01: “Yes wai!”
Genesis 3:4 xXxSerpentxXx: “Caffeine good. Eat FTW!” (FTW=For The Win)
Genesis 3:7 Adam_01 & Eve_02: >.<
Genesis 3:8 Adam_01 & Eve_02: -.-‘
Genesis 3:11 G0d: *tsk*
Genesis 3:12 Adam_01: “She r teh h4x0rz.”
Genesis 3:13 G0d: “WTF!”
Eve_02: *points* “D00d! xXxSerpentxXx is teh sux.”
Genesis 3:14-15 G0d: “FuQ! I r pissed! KOS4LIF!” (KOS=kill on sight)
Genesis 3:16: G0d: “Eve u sux. u phail @ lif.”
Genesis 3:17 G0d: “Adam w/ teh no ballz or skillz!”
Genesis 3:23: G0d: “GTFO muh internets! STFU! U sux x2 !!!111!!!ONE!!!”
Genesis 3:24—and so on: World v2.0
“And so on” until God c:/format with TEH big flood and World v3.0 came out.
Then World v3.5 with the release of the Jesus patch.
World v4.0 is expected around Armageddon.
And I shared Priest Kitty there! (I wrote the caption, but didn’t take the picture.) Love cat macros!
That kind of stuff. I also post writing tips and struggles on that blog. That blog has turned into an odd little mix of things because I have old high school friends, readers, editors, publishers, fellow writers as well as two priests and bishop friended on myspace.
My blogspot blog was intended to be a blog for writers (published, self-published, and not-yet-published.) The intent was to only include things that could clearly be linked to my writing life. So, there was no angsting about my biopsy (which turned out fine), pending surgery, bitching about being broke, or any of that. I think that lack of a personal touch is keeping this blog from feeling like a real blog. Poor blogspot, the bastard child of my blogging life.
So, I come to you with a question. Do you want me to make this blog more personal or do you enjoy the way it is?
And that has reminded me that I need to show my blogspot a bit more love. I give plenty of attention to my LJ and my myspace, but I neglect this poor little blog. I think that’s because I’m actively trying to be professional here and I don’t want a whole bunch of cross-posting on my blogs.
So, here’s what you can expect from my other blogs.
LJ is my most personal blog. That’s where you get to see me batshit insane. When I fight with bouts of insomnia and I get that spazz session just before crashing, I post it there. I also post fanfiction there. So if you’re one of those “Oh noes! The EEBILS of fanfiction!!!111ONE!!!” Types, then give it a pass. I also do a lot of fangirling there. So, yes, you get to see me at my fanigirling worst with things like, “OMG! Hakkai and Gojyo are so freaking HAWT!” or “OMG! Have you seen the raws of the Burial Arc yet?” or “I have new doujinshi to share!” and all that other great kind of stuff.
Myspace is an intellectual-personal blend between LJ and Blogspot. That’s also where I’ll put out some of my humor such as translating the first few chapters of the Bible in netspeak:
Genesis 1:1 G0d wrote BIOS.
Genesis 1:2-25 G0d slung code.
Genesis 1: 27 G0d used a hex editor and cheat code.
*Adam_01 has entered the chat*
Genesis 2:2 Reboot.
Genesis 2: 16-17 G0d: “Eat this and u phail.”
Genesis 2: 20 Adam_01: :( *sniffle* “lonely”
Genesis 2:21-22 G0d used another cheat code.
*Eve_02 has entered the chat*
Genesis 2:23 Adam_01: “OMG! R0xz0rz! Cyber? Woot!”
Genesis 3: 1 Eve_02: “WTF! No wai! 4 real? G0d sayz dat?”
Genesis 3:2 Adam_01: “Yes wai!”
Genesis 3:4 xXxSerpentxXx: “Caffeine good. Eat FTW!” (FTW=For The Win)
Genesis 3:7 Adam_01 & Eve_02: >.<
Genesis 3:8 Adam_01 & Eve_02: -.-‘
Genesis 3:11 G0d: *tsk*
Genesis 3:12 Adam_01: “She r teh h4x0rz.”
Genesis 3:13 G0d: “WTF!”
Eve_02: *points* “D00d! xXxSerpentxXx is teh sux.”
Genesis 3:14-15 G0d: “FuQ! I r pissed! KOS4LIF!” (KOS=kill on sight)
Genesis 3:16: G0d: “Eve u sux. u phail @ lif.”
Genesis 3:17 G0d: “Adam w/ teh no ballz or skillz!”
Genesis 3:23: G0d: “GTFO muh internets! STFU! U sux x2 !!!111!!!ONE!!!”
Genesis 3:24—and so on: World v2.0
“And so on” until God c:/format with TEH big flood and World v3.0 came out.
Then World v3.5 with the release of the Jesus patch.
World v4.0 is expected around Armageddon.
And I shared Priest Kitty there! (I wrote the caption, but didn’t take the picture.) Love cat macros!
That kind of stuff. I also post writing tips and struggles on that blog. That blog has turned into an odd little mix of things because I have old high school friends, readers, editors, publishers, fellow writers as well as two priests and bishop friended on myspace.
My blogspot blog was intended to be a blog for writers (published, self-published, and not-yet-published.) The intent was to only include things that could clearly be linked to my writing life. So, there was no angsting about my biopsy (which turned out fine), pending surgery, bitching about being broke, or any of that. I think that lack of a personal touch is keeping this blog from feeling like a real blog. Poor blogspot, the bastard child of my blogging life.
So, I come to you with a question. Do you want me to make this blog more personal or do you enjoy the way it is?
Saturday, March 31, 2007
I have the best readers--correction
The wonderful woman who sent me the gift, has informed me that it is a sake set! How cool is THAT?
I have the best readers!
From time to readers will send gifts to writers. It might be something as simple as a birthday card or a note telling us how much they enjoyed your story.
One of my readers, Dynamint, as she is called on LiveJournal attended the Hounen festival in Japan. This festival is commonly called “the penis festival.”
For more information on this fertility festival check out this link.
This is the package she sent me.
A penis (with a face vase), a vulva bowl, a penis incense holder and coupled vulva and penis candies! These will be treasured indeed! Since I’ve started writing, I’ve received a variety of gifts from coffee to gift cards and from porn to jewelry now I have ceramic penises and vulvas!
One of my readers, Dynamint, as she is called on LiveJournal attended the Hounen festival in Japan. This festival is commonly called “the penis festival.”
For more information on this fertility festival check out this link.
This is the package she sent me.
A penis (with a face vase), a vulva bowl, a penis incense holder and coupled vulva and penis candies! These will be treasured indeed! Since I’ve started writing, I’ve received a variety of gifts from coffee to gift cards and from porn to jewelry now I have ceramic penises and vulvas!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Updates: Writing and Reading
On the writing front, I just finished getting beta feedback on “About to Sin III” That’s going very well! Still no ETA on “Full Circle”, that’s in the hands of the art department. I’m amazed at how much interest there is in this book and I’m utterly honored that you guys want it so badly. If I could release it right this second I would. “Tainted Past” and “Selling Foxx” are still in the editing phase.
On the reading front, I just picked up The_Legacy by Kay Derwydd. That title now has the honor as being the first e-book I have ever purchase. It was a really simple process, I used my paypal account (first purchase via paypal too).
I practically worship Kay’s writing and I’m certain I’ll love this book, but once I’m done reading it, I’ll let you know how it is.
On the reading front, I just picked up The_Legacy by Kay Derwydd. That title now has the honor as being the first e-book I have ever purchase. It was a really simple process, I used my paypal account (first purchase via paypal too).
I practically worship Kay’s writing and I’m certain I’ll love this book, but once I’m done reading it, I’ll let you know how it is.
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