Tomorrow, 11/29/2017, I have an author event of Facebook, where I am the 'featured author' for Chuck Gannon's anthology, Lost Signals. I aim to entertain, and talk about Crate 88, the short story I wrote for the anthology.
December 17th, the paperback edition of 1636: Mission To The Mughals, comes out. Almost every SF book I had as a kid was in paperback, and much as I love the feel of a hardcover in hand, the arrival of the mass market paperback of my book is a source of true excitement for me.
My short story, Bank On It the first I ever submitted for publication, has been selected for the Ring Of Fire VIII anthology.
I have submitted another short, Alpha Gamers for yet another anthology, this one in John Ringo's Black Tide Rising Universe. Hopefully Alpha Gamers will see print in 2019 if not sooner.
So, for a writer of novels, it seems I am having some success with short stories...The irony flattens my ego, a bit, but it's good to be in print, so I am not complaining, not one bit!
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Saturday, January 14, 2017
A Kind and Generous Fellow
My friend Robert Buettner, whose new book, The Golden Gate, is out now, was interviewed on the Baen Podcast along with Toni Weisskopf. Robert gave me and the department I work for a very kind shout-out for the help we gave him in researching the book.
A bit of a departure from Robert's usual style, The Golden Gate is a near-future thriller that I found engrossing and original. The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it.
A bit of a departure from Robert's usual style, The Golden Gate is a near-future thriller that I found engrossing and original. The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Coming Weekend
I managed to get myself on some panels at LibertyCon this coming weekend. I am feeling a strong dose of imposter syndrome for it, as one of the panels I am to participate in is with Dave Drake and John Ringo, two of the biggest stars of my SF-reading universe. In fact, I have been a fan of Dave's work since I was fifteen, and John's fan for about 15 years...So yeah, big moment for me. I am doubly lucky in that I know both gentlemen, and get on well with them.
Chuck Gannon and my co-author Eric Flint will be there, as well as the rest of the 1632 crew, among them many other friends and fond acquaintances.
I will also get a chance to see my oldest friend, Kyle, whom I have not seen in about five years. He will also come out to see my parents outside Chattanooga, the first time he's seen them since we were 16 or so.
So, yeah, big week coming up for me. Hope I don't screw up.
Chuck Gannon and my co-author Eric Flint will be there, as well as the rest of the 1632 crew, among them many other friends and fond acquaintances.
I will also get a chance to see my oldest friend, Kyle, whom I have not seen in about five years. He will also come out to see my parents outside Chattanooga, the first time he's seen them since we were 16 or so.
So, yeah, big week coming up for me. Hope I don't screw up.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Feeding the Trolls
I am exhausted by the mess going on around the Hugo Awards.
I have always written because I felt I had to for my sanity. I have always loved writing SF because it's what I always enjoyed reading. Even on becoming a professional writer, writing was not stressful because I loved it--I loved the people with all their crazy ideas and creative solutions. I loved talking about it, fanning out about what was new and brilliant.
My day job is often stressful. Family life is very rewarding, but can have its added stresses. SF and its community was my hidey-hole, the place I could go to, pull the lid over my head, and forget about the shit, all the while sharing the joy, the glee (and yes, even the hiding-place) with others who loved SF.
These days, I find my feeds filled with a river of cess I would rather not have to wade through to express and explore my simple joy over the latest book, show, or comic with other like-minded folks.
I am not sure what to do about it, but I really do feel bereft of the place I used to go to for relief and I hope that folks get their act together and decide to treat one another better and with less disrespect.
The trolls have been fed, and the rest of us bled.
End it.
I have always written because I felt I had to for my sanity. I have always loved writing SF because it's what I always enjoyed reading. Even on becoming a professional writer, writing was not stressful because I loved it--I loved the people with all their crazy ideas and creative solutions. I loved talking about it, fanning out about what was new and brilliant.
My day job is often stressful. Family life is very rewarding, but can have its added stresses. SF and its community was my hidey-hole, the place I could go to, pull the lid over my head, and forget about the shit, all the while sharing the joy, the glee (and yes, even the hiding-place) with others who loved SF.
These days, I find my feeds filled with a river of cess I would rather not have to wade through to express and explore my simple joy over the latest book, show, or comic with other like-minded folks.
I am not sure what to do about it, but I really do feel bereft of the place I used to go to for relief and I hope that folks get their act together and decide to treat one another better and with less disrespect.
The trolls have been fed, and the rest of us bled.
End it.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Worries
This weekend, something awesome happened.
But first, a few data points:
I have always worried I might be an asshole. Not just a garden variety, drives-like-a-shithead asshole, but a real one, one you wouldn't think twice about fucking with because: JUST LOOK AT HIM. BALD ASSHOLES ARE THE WORST!
This is a hard one to overcome. I think it's part of my make-up, part of who I am, that I worry people think I'm an asshole. I know I can be one. I even realize we can all be one, given the proper circumstances.
Of late, my day job reinforces that internal, abusive little voice, as there is little love out there for those that wear a uniform. When both sides of the political spectrum hate your profession, things are unpleasant. This aspect of my worry is a bit easier to deal with, as I take the uniform off and most people are left with just plain BALD ASSHOLE to look at.
Then there is the daunting insecurity I am told most writers feel, that sensation of: I'M A TALENTLESS HACK! UNWORTHY OF NOTICE, NO ONE LOVES ME! BALD ASSHOLE!
I fought this-still fight it- by simply acknowledging how much better I feel when I'm writing than not. T o my mind, writing is a weird thing. It's done in relative solitude, for the most part, but its end product is ultimately for others to consume (or not). Along the way to that consumption, it's likely the writer will have to interact with people in the flesh, as it were...
So, there I was, BALD ASSHOLE, going to conventions and meeting people involved in the writing world, and worrying what they thought of me and, if they had the time and inclination, my writing. Now, I've lived in a few places, known a few different people from different walks of life...
Mind you, I was always worrying, even when I wasn't bald, that people saw me as a BALD ASSHOLE, but because of this experience of life, I wasn't all that fearful of putting myself out there. Having done it a few times makes it easier to brave the writing convention waters.
At the conventions I met hopefuls, I met stars, I met superstars, and I met some of my writing heroes. Along the way, I even made new friends that seem to have overlooked my BALD ASSHOLISHNESS.
In this modern era, we can easily reconnect with old schoolmates, old friends, and even integrate distant new friends and acquaintances with our current lives. It is a blessing that BALD ASSHOLE doesn't think he deserves, but there it is.
"BUT, YOU'RE A BALD ASSHOLE, WHO WOULD WANT TO?!" my inner ego-piercing voice seethes.
Don't mind that little bastard, at least not today.
This, in a roundabout way, leads me back down the rabbit hole to my big announcement: Today I announced on Facebook that Eric Flint and I had sold our novel, 1636: Mission to the Mughals.
Then something happened:
I had a torrent of good wishes from people I have come to know throughout the various stages of my life. Some were even moved to comment with well-wishes, and not just my blood relatives.
The response from all these people from all these different places of the landscape of my life silenced that little ego-piercing voice for a moment.
Just a moment.
What a joy that silence was.
I shall continue to seek it, and be worthy of my friends and family.
BUT-!
No butts.
But first, a few data points:
I have always worried I might be an asshole. Not just a garden variety, drives-like-a-shithead asshole, but a real one, one you wouldn't think twice about fucking with because: JUST LOOK AT HIM. BALD ASSHOLES ARE THE WORST!
This is a hard one to overcome. I think it's part of my make-up, part of who I am, that I worry people think I'm an asshole. I know I can be one. I even realize we can all be one, given the proper circumstances.
Of late, my day job reinforces that internal, abusive little voice, as there is little love out there for those that wear a uniform. When both sides of the political spectrum hate your profession, things are unpleasant. This aspect of my worry is a bit easier to deal with, as I take the uniform off and most people are left with just plain BALD ASSHOLE to look at.
Then there is the daunting insecurity I am told most writers feel, that sensation of: I'M A TALENTLESS HACK! UNWORTHY OF NOTICE, NO ONE LOVES ME! BALD ASSHOLE!
I fought this-still fight it- by simply acknowledging how much better I feel when I'm writing than not. T o my mind, writing is a weird thing. It's done in relative solitude, for the most part, but its end product is ultimately for others to consume (or not). Along the way to that consumption, it's likely the writer will have to interact with people in the flesh, as it were...
So, there I was, BALD ASSHOLE, going to conventions and meeting people involved in the writing world, and worrying what they thought of me and, if they had the time and inclination, my writing. Now, I've lived in a few places, known a few different people from different walks of life...
Mind you, I was always worrying, even when I wasn't bald, that people saw me as a BALD ASSHOLE, but because of this experience of life, I wasn't all that fearful of putting myself out there. Having done it a few times makes it easier to brave the writing convention waters.
At the conventions I met hopefuls, I met stars, I met superstars, and I met some of my writing heroes. Along the way, I even made new friends that seem to have overlooked my BALD ASSHOLISHNESS.
In this modern era, we can easily reconnect with old schoolmates, old friends, and even integrate distant new friends and acquaintances with our current lives. It is a blessing that BALD ASSHOLE doesn't think he deserves, but there it is.
Don't mind that little bastard, at least not today.
This, in a roundabout way, leads me back down the rabbit hole to my big announcement: Today I announced on Facebook that Eric Flint and I had sold our novel, 1636: Mission to the Mughals.
Then something happened:
I had a torrent of good wishes from people I have come to know throughout the various stages of my life. Some were even moved to comment with well-wishes, and not just my blood relatives.
The response from all these people from all these different places of the landscape of my life silenced that little ego-piercing voice for a moment.
Just a moment.
What a joy that silence was.
I shall continue to seek it, and be worthy of my friends and family.
BUT-!
No butts.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Jay Lake Has Passed
I first met Jay Lake in at World Fantasy 2009, the first World Fantasy convention, indeed first SF convention of any kind I had attended.
Somewhat bewildered and unsure of what I was doing there, I was sitting in the lobby area/bar when a fellow with outrageously long locks and a beard sat beside me at another small table. A steady stream of friends and fellow writers approaching him, engaging in funny, friendly banter. He took a moment during the fun to meet and subsequently include the balding, bewildered fellow seated near him in his conversations.
That fellow was me.
My time with Jay on that occasion did not last very long, but it was very, very informative to my experience of World Fantasy. As anybody who knows me can tell you: I love World Fantasy Convention. Part of that love had its genesis in Jay's inclusion and initiation of me into this world of writers and their society.
I didn't get the chance to speak directly to Jay very often on the subsequent occasions we saw one another, just exchanging a friendly nod and kind word in passing. He always remembered my name, despite our limited experience of one another, and even when he was complaining about the devastating effects chemotherapy was having on his prodigious mind.
I read his blog, keeping up with his thoughts in that manner.
Two years ago yesterday, I was in the process of making my first fiction sale. I sent Jay a private message on Facebook:
I took all your advice, Jay.
Good luck and safe journey on your travels, wherever they may take your essence.
Somewhat bewildered and unsure of what I was doing there, I was sitting in the lobby area/bar when a fellow with outrageously long locks and a beard sat beside me at another small table. A steady stream of friends and fellow writers approaching him, engaging in funny, friendly banter. He took a moment during the fun to meet and subsequently include the balding, bewildered fellow seated near him in his conversations.
That fellow was me.
My time with Jay on that occasion did not last very long, but it was very, very informative to my experience of World Fantasy. As anybody who knows me can tell you: I love World Fantasy Convention. Part of that love had its genesis in Jay's inclusion and initiation of me into this world of writers and their society.
I didn't get the chance to speak directly to Jay very often on the subsequent occasions we saw one another, just exchanging a friendly nod and kind word in passing. He always remembered my name, despite our limited experience of one another, and even when he was complaining about the devastating effects chemotherapy was having on his prodigious mind.
I read his blog, keeping up with his thoughts in that manner.
Two years ago yesterday, I was in the process of making my first fiction sale. I sent Jay a private message on Facebook:
May 31, 2012 11:41 am
I took all your advice, Jay.
Good luck and safe journey on your travels, wherever they may take your essence.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
What I'm Doing This Weekend: BayCon (AKA: Lots to do)
So, this weekend I am attending BayCon, which Dario Ciarello was kind enough to invite me to last year on his Guest pass. I spoke to one of the organizers about my willingness to do some panels for it, and now, a year later, I am doing the following:
1. Give Me That Old Time Religion on Friday at 2:00 PM in Alameda
(with C. Sanford Lowe, Setsu Uzume, Randy Smith (M))
Pagans, Wiccans, and Pastafarians: There are religions besides the big three. Panelists discuss faiths they've explored or studied.
2. Writing in a Galaxy Far, Far Away: The Rewards and Challenges of Writing Media Tie-in Novels on Friday at 3:30 PM in Alameda
(with Kevin Andrew Murphy (M), Matt Maxwell, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff)
Writers of media tie-in novels share their experiences working in someone else's universe.
3. CSI: Science Fiction vs Reality on Friday at 5:00 PM in Alameda
(with Kay Tracy (M), Lynx Crowe)
Sure, you have to take some shortcuts trying solve a couple of murders in 45 minutes of screen time, but it sure helps to have devices as futuristic as the matter duplicators of Star Trek. Which tools used on CSI are the dreams of a semi-scientific screenwriter annd what are the real tools that forensic scientists use today?
4. Surveillance and the End of Privacy on Sunday at 11:30 AM in Bayshore
(with Jason Malcolm Stewart (M), David Friedman, Dario Ciriello)
Between government surveillance of citizens and ubiquitous cameras, is privacy a lost cause? What can you do to preserve your privacy?
5. You Don't look like an Alien… on Sunday at 2:00 PM in San Tomas
(with Kathleen Barthlomew, Jay Reynolds Freeman, S.L. Gray (M))
We know what other people's concepts of aliens are, but what is yours? Learn how to create an alien-looking alien without settling for pointy ears and prosthetic foreheads.
6. The Science of the Honor Harrington Universe on Sunday at 3:30 PM in Stevens Creek
(with Christine Doyle, David Weber, Martin Lessem (M))
Wormholes, gravity waves that travel faster than light, DNA manipulation. What is the likelihood that the achievements in science and technology presented in the Honor Harrington series will someday become a reality?
7. Female Archetypes in Fantasy on Sunday at 5:00 PM in Stevens Creek
(with Beth Barany, Ursula Vernon, Taunya Gren (M))
In fantasy stories set in worlds with their own system of gods and goddesses, are the female archetypes too limited, to roles such as The Mother or The Daughter? Do we need more stories with a full spectrum of female archetypes, such as those in the pantheon of India?
If you happen to be in the Bay Area, and attending, please look me up...
1. Give Me That Old Time Religion on Friday at 2:00 PM in Alameda
(with C. Sanford Lowe, Setsu Uzume, Randy Smith (M))
Pagans, Wiccans, and Pastafarians: There are religions besides the big three. Panelists discuss faiths they've explored or studied.
2. Writing in a Galaxy Far, Far Away: The Rewards and Challenges of Writing Media Tie-in Novels on Friday at 3:30 PM in Alameda
(with Kevin Andrew Murphy (M), Matt Maxwell, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff)
Writers of media tie-in novels share their experiences working in someone else's universe.
3. CSI: Science Fiction vs Reality on Friday at 5:00 PM in Alameda
(with Kay Tracy (M), Lynx Crowe)
Sure, you have to take some shortcuts trying solve a couple of murders in 45 minutes of screen time, but it sure helps to have devices as futuristic as the matter duplicators of Star Trek. Which tools used on CSI are the dreams of a semi-scientific screenwriter annd what are the real tools that forensic scientists use today?
4. Surveillance and the End of Privacy on Sunday at 11:30 AM in Bayshore
(with Jason Malcolm Stewart (M), David Friedman, Dario Ciriello)
Between government surveillance of citizens and ubiquitous cameras, is privacy a lost cause? What can you do to preserve your privacy?
5. You Don't look like an Alien… on Sunday at 2:00 PM in San Tomas
(with Kathleen Barthlomew, Jay Reynolds Freeman, S.L. Gray (M))
We know what other people's concepts of aliens are, but what is yours? Learn how to create an alien-looking alien without settling for pointy ears and prosthetic foreheads.
6. The Science of the Honor Harrington Universe on Sunday at 3:30 PM in Stevens Creek
(with Christine Doyle, David Weber, Martin Lessem (M))
Wormholes, gravity waves that travel faster than light, DNA manipulation. What is the likelihood that the achievements in science and technology presented in the Honor Harrington series will someday become a reality?
7. Female Archetypes in Fantasy on Sunday at 5:00 PM in Stevens Creek
(with Beth Barany, Ursula Vernon, Taunya Gren (M))
In fantasy stories set in worlds with their own system of gods and goddesses, are the female archetypes too limited, to roles such as The Mother or The Daughter? Do we need more stories with a full spectrum of female archetypes, such as those in the pantheon of India?
If you happen to be in the Bay Area, and attending, please look me up...
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Nebula Awards Weekend
My friend, Chuck Gannon, has been nominated for the Nebula Award this year for Best Novel. He was kind enough to ask if I wanted to tag along for the banquet. I, of course, said, "Hell yes!"
I was asked if I was willing to put on a panel or workshop, but my other LE friends are not attending so I went back to talk to Chuck, my personal rain-maker, who said he'd be glad to help out with a panel. Some days later we decided on our subject:
Cops and Spies: Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence in SF
Griffin Barber and Charles E. Gannon
Friday, May 16, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Blossom Hill Third Floor
If you are attending the awards weekend, please come. If you aren't, please send me your good thoughts regardless. I will assume you already voted, if eligible, for Chuck's fantastic work.
I was asked if I was willing to put on a panel or workshop, but my other LE friends are not attending so I went back to talk to Chuck, my personal rain-maker, who said he'd be glad to help out with a panel. Some days later we decided on our subject:
Cops and Spies: Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence in SF
Griffin Barber and Charles E. Gannon
Friday, May 16, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Blossom Hill Third Floor
If you are attending the awards weekend, please come. If you aren't, please send me your good thoughts regardless. I will assume you already voted, if eligible, for Chuck's fantastic work.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Next Week I Appear, And You May See Me...
Going to MarCon in Columbus, Ohio next weekend, for the 1632 MiniCon and another milestone for me: next Saturday, a friend of mine, Alistair Kimble, and I will be putting on a writing workshop at MarCon entitled Law Enforcement For Writers. We'll talk about everything and anything our attendees want to ask or hear about. I'm rather excited to see what people come up with.
Friday, March 21, 2014
FOGCon Appearances Done and General Updatery
Well, I went to FOGCon and I had a very nice time, meeting several people. The first panel I was on was full of bright, interesting folks with clever, insightful things to say...And then I was on a panel with Tim Powers, who is not only famous for a long and amazing career in SF, but wickedly funny and smart, all of which combined to make me feel a total impostor. I managed not to put my foot in it, I think. At least, no one looked at me as if I had grown a sentient, mouthy boil on my lip. Perhaps they were just being polite.
I have been slow to update the blog for a couple reasons, the main one being I my wrist is a bit painful from all of the hand writing I must do at work forcing a slow down. I purchased Dragon Dictation and started using it (Jury is out, just now, on how awesome it might be. There's issues.), but I've been focusing on getting Mughal Mission drafted. It appears I am on track with that at least, cracking 72,000 words today.
And now I'm off to do some more work on it.
I have been slow to update the blog for a couple reasons, the main one being I my wrist is a bit painful from all of the hand writing I must do at work forcing a slow down. I purchased Dragon Dictation and started using it (Jury is out, just now, on how awesome it might be. There's issues.), but I've been focusing on getting Mughal Mission drafted. It appears I am on track with that at least, cracking 72,000 words today.
And now I'm off to do some more work on it.
Monday, March 3, 2014
I Appear, Publicly Even...
Last year, FogCon gave me my first shot as a panelist, and they were kind enough to ask me back for this year.
So:
This weekend I will be at FogCon in Walnut Creek, with two panels on Friday, back to back. The first, A Secret Is Something You Only Tell One Person At A Time, is at 1330. Just after that, at 1500, it's Secret Agencies of The Occult, which I look forward to.
On Saturday I will be on my third and final panel, at 1330: Cryptography and Codes, which I believe I can add some interesting things to, especially regarding the use of codes in history.
If you are in the Bay Area or someone who travels for cons, I hope to see you there!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Back in The Saddle
I climbed back on the horse and dug my spurs in: I'm writing 1000 words a day on the current project until the draft is done.
See you in fifty or so.
See you in fifty or so.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Things I've Learned In 14 Years
Today marks my fourteenth year in law enforcement so I thought I might share a few of the things I've learned.
People can be fucking stupid. That includes me.
The job will never love you, no matter how much you love it.
Addicts take no time off. You can encounter them at any time, under any conditions.
Gangsters do take time off. You'll rarely encounter them before 1000hrs. Gangsters almost always start out mama's boys, crying for attention from mama.
Traffic stops are not routine.
If it looks to good to be true, it will definitely bite you.
Yes, you may have to touch that vermin-infested criminal, but you don't have to smell him.
If you are fighting with someone in the middle of the street and didn't call it in, you are on your own, no matter how many civilians are watching. They'll record your actions, but don't count on them helping you.
Shaking it off is for games, not work. You get hurt, you report that shit.
A full moon affects some people, sometimes. Be aware that you might be the person affected.
Domestic abusers do not generally change their stripes. Pedophiles do not change.
You are going to see things that should not be seen. Hear things that cannot be unheard.
Write the best report you can, every time. You never know when someone is going to get arrested on that stolen property report and you'll be called to testify.
Accidents happen a lot less often than collisions.
Don't bring that shit home. Don't wear your boots home, and don't take your shit out on the kids, pets, or spouse. That said, figure out how to lance those wounds so they don't come out at night.
Drinking is not a solution, no matter how fun it can be.
Suicide is not an option. Everything ends, including pain.
If you see a fellow officer in pain, put it all on hold and help them, even if you have to overcome resistance to do so.
Cultivate courtesies even as you learn to talk shit. Know when to use one or the other.
Stay in policy. It might be stupid, but it might protect you from stupid, too.
Supervisors are not out to screw you, but they also may not be looking out for your best interests, either.
When in doubt it is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.
It's also better to write the report, no matter how pointless or long, than expend even more effort trying to avoid taking that report.
People can be fucking stupid. That includes me.
The job will never love you, no matter how much you love it.
Addicts take no time off. You can encounter them at any time, under any conditions.
Gangsters do take time off. You'll rarely encounter them before 1000hrs. Gangsters almost always start out mama's boys, crying for attention from mama.
Traffic stops are not routine.
If it looks to good to be true, it will definitely bite you.
Yes, you may have to touch that vermin-infested criminal, but you don't have to smell him.
If you are fighting with someone in the middle of the street and didn't call it in, you are on your own, no matter how many civilians are watching. They'll record your actions, but don't count on them helping you.
Shaking it off is for games, not work. You get hurt, you report that shit.
A full moon affects some people, sometimes. Be aware that you might be the person affected.
Domestic abusers do not generally change their stripes. Pedophiles do not change.
You are going to see things that should not be seen. Hear things that cannot be unheard.
Write the best report you can, every time. You never know when someone is going to get arrested on that stolen property report and you'll be called to testify.
Accidents happen a lot less often than collisions.
Don't bring that shit home. Don't wear your boots home, and don't take your shit out on the kids, pets, or spouse. That said, figure out how to lance those wounds so they don't come out at night.
Drinking is not a solution, no matter how fun it can be.
Suicide is not an option. Everything ends, including pain.
If you see a fellow officer in pain, put it all on hold and help them, even if you have to overcome resistance to do so.
Cultivate courtesies even as you learn to talk shit. Know when to use one or the other.
Stay in policy. It might be stupid, but it might protect you from stupid, too.
Supervisors are not out to screw you, but they also may not be looking out for your best interests, either.
When in doubt it is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.
It's also better to write the report, no matter how pointless or long, than expend even more effort trying to avoid taking that report.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
May Your Evening Be Asshole-Free
"May your evening be asshole-free!"is not just the name of my next Ska band, it's what I think I shall start to tell friends as I depart their company of an evening.
My day was most decidedly not asshole-free.
This morning, a young, heavily-muscled munchkin walked into court, and started asking questions while we were in session. The judge told him to leave. He did as ordered, but the man-child decided to loudly announce his discontent as he departed, using expletives.
I informed him in no uncertain terms that such behavior was unacceptable.
He puffed, pouted, and petulantly called me any number of (and because he lacked creativity, the same) expletives as he walked away. The hall was packed with people, making his childish act and his hateful speech very public.
"You just a bitch without that gun and badge," he called, over his shoulder.
I did not engage with his screeching attempts to poo-fling my direction. I had better things to do.
I returned to my other duties. I started to let it go.
Twenty minutes later, he has the temerity to ask for assistance.
It being my duty, I agreed to assist him.
As we stepped out into the hallway, now empty of persons, I said to him, "So, if, as you claim, I am a bitch, what does that make you?"
"Huh?" was the pithy wisdom he chose to answer my query with.
"Well, earlier, you were quite clear in claiming that you were absolutely certain that I am a bitch without my star and gun. So now, I was just wondering: if a person asks a bitch for assistance, would that not make you that bitch's bitch, however temporarily?"
"What?" the philosopher asked.
"Do I really need to make it more clear, sir?"
Clearly wishing he were elsewhere, the bumpy little twerp chose to attempt to misdirect me, "I don't know where I'm supposed to be."
"I see. And do you usually shout curses at someone and then seek their assistance?"
"Dude, I wasn't shouting."
I just looked at him.
"Alright, I wasn't that loud."
"Be a man: there's no one else here to hear you say it."
"I was shouting."
"And?"
Mumble...
"You were shouting aaaand?"
Mumble...
I cupped a hand behind my ear, "I can't hear you."
"I'm sorry."
"A sincere apology must be as public as the act that required it, but since everyone else knew where they had to be and have since cleared the hall, and it is my duty when wearing my uniform, star and gun, I will assist you."
"Uh..."
"No need to thank me, it's what I'm paid to do. Now, let's see where you're supposed to be..."
My day was most decidedly not asshole-free.
This morning, a young, heavily-muscled munchkin walked into court, and started asking questions while we were in session. The judge told him to leave. He did as ordered, but the man-child decided to loudly announce his discontent as he departed, using expletives.
I informed him in no uncertain terms that such behavior was unacceptable.
He puffed, pouted, and petulantly called me any number of (and because he lacked creativity, the same) expletives as he walked away. The hall was packed with people, making his childish act and his hateful speech very public.
"You just a bitch without that gun and badge," he called, over his shoulder.
I did not engage with his screeching attempts to poo-fling my direction. I had better things to do.
I returned to my other duties. I started to let it go.
Twenty minutes later, he has the temerity to ask for assistance.
It being my duty, I agreed to assist him.
As we stepped out into the hallway, now empty of persons, I said to him, "So, if, as you claim, I am a bitch, what does that make you?"
"Huh?" was the pithy wisdom he chose to answer my query with.
"Well, earlier, you were quite clear in claiming that you were absolutely certain that I am a bitch without my star and gun. So now, I was just wondering: if a person asks a bitch for assistance, would that not make you that bitch's bitch, however temporarily?"
"What?" the philosopher asked.
"Do I really need to make it more clear, sir?"
Clearly wishing he were elsewhere, the bumpy little twerp chose to attempt to misdirect me, "I don't know where I'm supposed to be."
"I see. And do you usually shout curses at someone and then seek their assistance?"
"Dude, I wasn't shouting."
I just looked at him.
"Alright, I wasn't that loud."
"Be a man: there's no one else here to hear you say it."
"I was shouting."
"And?"
Mumble...
"You were shouting aaaand?"
Mumble...
I cupped a hand behind my ear, "I can't hear you."
"I'm sorry."
"A sincere apology must be as public as the act that required it, but since everyone else knew where they had to be and have since cleared the hall, and it is my duty when wearing my uniform, star and gun, I will assist you."
"Uh..."
"No need to thank me, it's what I'm paid to do. Now, let's see where you're supposed to be..."
Monday, October 21, 2013
CONtraFlow III and More General Updatery
I am just returned from CONtraFlow in New Orleans, where I was part of a panel titled Frontier Law. I recorded it, but need some time to get it chopped up and remember how to make them available to everyone here.
The con itself was a bit of a blur: between arriving at 4 in the evening on Friday and departing at the same time on Sunday, I felt as if I spent as much time traveling to and from the con as at the con.
Mark Van Name was the Toastmaster, and laid the groundwork for our panel during Friday's opening ceremonies, despite my failure to make it to the ceremonies. He asked the gathered crowd what they would like to learn during the Frontier Law panel and adjusted his moderator's questions and discussion points accordingly.
Note to new authors: don't make the mistake of forgetting that you need to seize every opportunity to promote. It's more of a mental adjustment than it seems, this leap from loner writer to author with a few readers and even more potential readers. At least, more than I expected. I may just be stupid.
Despite Mark Van Name's busy schedule, Alistair, Chuck, and I managed to have a fun meal with Mark and Jennie, with our usual base humor predominating.
I attended several 1632 MiniCon panels, where I learned new things and enjoyed the company of Eric Flint, Rick Boatright, Paula Goodlett, Walter Hunt, Walt Boyes, Chuck Gannon, and many others. Eric puts on a Snerking The Plot panel, where he reveals the current drive of the series and the state of all works-in-progress. This time, he included my work on The Mughal Mission, which I had a few minutes to present to the gathered writers. As I was last to go, it was difficult to gauge the enthusiasm of my fellow writers.
Dinners were exceptional, as Eric took many of the above 1632 authors to a local seafood joint Friday night. Much fun was had and fine food eaten!
Saturday night was the Baen Dinner, hosted by Toni Weisskopf. Mark Van Name was kind enough to secure an invite for me. The meal was at Restaurant Cypress, and included great company: Eric Flint and his lovely wife, Chuck Gannon, Mark Van Name, Alistair Kimble, Walter Hunt, John Picacio, Jennie Faeries, and Tara Smith. Some of the discussion included favorite films and subcategories thereof, such as guilty-pleasure movies: I'm afraid I gave away the entire plot of Lifeforce with my blathering squee about boobies, space vampires, boobies, zombies, boobies, and mass extinction events.
Despite my carrying on, both nights were very fun and fine eats.
I roomed with Chuck Gannon (AKA The Rainmaker AKA, No Charlie Strauss) who despite being much smarter than I, was willing to engage in lengthy discussion on varied subjects, illuminating some of the darker corners of my mind with enthusiasm.
Speaking of which, I need to get some fiction writing done, tonight and soon.
But first, I was very busy with all the flying, etc, but I wasn't as busy as Brigant, who did more awesome audiobook versions of the serial installments of A Separate Law. They are available, in order, here:
The con itself was a bit of a blur: between arriving at 4 in the evening on Friday and departing at the same time on Sunday, I felt as if I spent as much time traveling to and from the con as at the con.
Mark Van Name was the Toastmaster, and laid the groundwork for our panel during Friday's opening ceremonies, despite my failure to make it to the ceremonies. He asked the gathered crowd what they would like to learn during the Frontier Law panel and adjusted his moderator's questions and discussion points accordingly.
Note to new authors: don't make the mistake of forgetting that you need to seize every opportunity to promote. It's more of a mental adjustment than it seems, this leap from loner writer to author with a few readers and even more potential readers. At least, more than I expected. I may just be stupid.
Despite Mark Van Name's busy schedule, Alistair, Chuck, and I managed to have a fun meal with Mark and Jennie, with our usual base humor predominating.
I attended several 1632 MiniCon panels, where I learned new things and enjoyed the company of Eric Flint, Rick Boatright, Paula Goodlett, Walter Hunt, Walt Boyes, Chuck Gannon, and many others. Eric puts on a Snerking The Plot panel, where he reveals the current drive of the series and the state of all works-in-progress. This time, he included my work on The Mughal Mission, which I had a few minutes to present to the gathered writers. As I was last to go, it was difficult to gauge the enthusiasm of my fellow writers.
Dinners were exceptional, as Eric took many of the above 1632 authors to a local seafood joint Friday night. Much fun was had and fine food eaten!
Saturday night was the Baen Dinner, hosted by Toni Weisskopf. Mark Van Name was kind enough to secure an invite for me. The meal was at Restaurant Cypress, and included great company: Eric Flint and his lovely wife, Chuck Gannon, Mark Van Name, Alistair Kimble, Walter Hunt, John Picacio, Jennie Faeries, and Tara Smith. Some of the discussion included favorite films and subcategories thereof, such as guilty-pleasure movies: I'm afraid I gave away the entire plot of Lifeforce with my blathering squee about boobies, space vampires, boobies, zombies, boobies, and mass extinction events.
Despite my carrying on, both nights were very fun and fine eats.
I roomed with Chuck Gannon (AKA The Rainmaker AKA, No Charlie Strauss) who despite being much smarter than I, was willing to engage in lengthy discussion on varied subjects, illuminating some of the darker corners of my mind with enthusiasm.
Speaking of which, I need to get some fiction writing done, tonight and soon.
But first, I was very busy with all the flying, etc, but I wasn't as busy as Brigant, who did more awesome audiobook versions of the serial installments of A Separate Law. They are available, in order, here:
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