A Couple Things To Update

So.

I've lost a few pounds by switching to Dr Pepper 10, something I've needed to do for some time now. Hopefully I will continue to lose, which in this case, is winning. My grandfather lost his leg to complications arising from diabetes, so I know how important this is.

In other news, I am still waiting on word from Baen books about The Last Captain. It seems the file was caught in the editor's spam filter for four months. I cannot say I'm pleased, but it is what it is.

I haven't been up for much writing of late, and my wrist is punishing me for being out of shape right now. If it keeps complaining, I may have to buy Dragon and start talking to my computer.

Work has been an odd concoction of crazed morons and rough circumstances these last few weeks, with moving courtrooms, clerk strikes, and investigations.

I am looking forward a great deal to a couple things:

Chicon 7 in August will be my first as a paid author, with the added bonus that many of the fans and folks who write for 1632 are doing a con within the con. I hope that someday I'll be on a panel or two at one of these events.

World Fantasy in November looks to be a good time, though expensive. It's in Toronto, where I lived briefly, as a child. Hope to get a police patch or two while I'm there.

Then, this movie looks to be quite the entertainment:



No one makes a better antagonist than NAZIS!


Then there is this show, about to be released on BBC America, called Copper:

Oh, and I plan to do more frequent updates here on the blog as well...

We'll see how that goes.

I'd Love To See This

Still Like This Song

Funneh Stuff

I have no idea who did these originally, and wish someone would tell me, as I find them immensely funny:

Awesome Insults

I am a huge fan of the well-formed insult, and here are some of the best examples of the art:

BANK ON IT! SOLD!

The short story I wrote for Eric Flint's 1632 e-magazine, The Grantville Gazette, has been accepted for publication. The story is titled Bank On It, a teaser for which is now up on the website.

I am blown away by how quickly things moved on this. It took a while to finish the story, if only because my knowledge of chemistry was not sufficient to move the plot along. But I finished it two weeks ago and now it's a done deal.

I am over the moon that this has happened. It's no novel, but it is getting paid for the written product of my mind, something I've wanted since I was 10 years old and first understood where all the books I loved came from. While I've been published for game modules and adventures, this is fiction, flat out, and that's a whole 'nother level of process.

I am very blessed to have friends who gave encouragement and guidance, for me as an individual and for the story in particular.  Thanks to: Chuck, Mark, Rob, Rick, Alistair, and most especially Alan, who, a few years ago, saw that a beat man might have more skills than those necessary to walk a beat. It was you that gave me that first glimmer of hope, that first spark of confidence. Thank you.

I hope you will read and enjoy the tale, and hope to write many more that see publication.

Ha!

Talked with my friend and mentor in the PD today. Mark is retiring as of Friday. We shot the shit, laughed a lot, and generally had a great conversation. When the call ended I had a brief pang over how much I will miss him when he is no longer there to call for advice on how to deal with something stupid. Of course, he will be around, just not up to date on the latest BS...

But I digress; what the call really did was remind me of the many good times I've had in uniform.

Don't get me wrong, it ain't all shits and giggles. But sometimes the shit people do can give you a hard, gut-wrenching belly laugh. Sometimes the laughter is all you can do to keep from crying.

If you should see me sometime, ask me what story comes to my mind on seeing this picture:

It's gross, engrossing, and terribly funny, so if that's not your thing, don't fucking ask. I won't tell, otherwise.