This Is Not Ephemera

You're An Idiot, Starscream

This song is “Nothing to Prove” by the Doubleclicks and shows a few, familiar faces with a message about “fake geek girls.” Here’s the thing: if you want to know what Speak Out With Your Geek Out was all about, this was it.

If you watch the video, there are cultural aspects to comments made. It’s not “just” about Superman versus Batman or who likes what more. Getting negative comments isn’t about “you” persay, but how you “fit” into a stereotype that other people use to define you based on their definition of who you should be. Quite frankly, that’s total nonsense. Let your geek flag fly! After all, isn’t the entire point of geekdom to have fun doing what you love?

    Mood: BOO-YAH
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Tiny bubbles…
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: There was fresh air. I think I coughed.
    In My Ears: White noise, courtesy of my fans. Not the real ones, the electric kind.
    Game Last Played: *coughs* Candy Crush. Otherwise known as the time-sucker. Have to stop now.
    Book Last Read: Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon
    Movie Last Viewed: Arietty
    Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures… It’s on the list!
    Latest Fiction Release: “The Button” We Are Dust anthology
    Latest Game Release: A fun Scion: Extras (Supplemental Yet Can Be Somewhat Useful On Occasion Scions)
    What I’m Working On: July 2013’s Progress Report


July 23, 2013
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Tomato, Tamale

hobbes avatar

Yes, this is a picture of a tomato. But not just ANY tomato. My first one! Er… Well, it’s the only one right now. I have four varieties of tomatoes growing. Truth be told, I can’t stand them fresh. Mash ’em up into salsas and sauces just fine, but eating them raw and wriggling? Not a fan. I could be convinced to eat them in a BLT, though! But yes, right now this is the lone tomato. It is solitary. It is red. It is the singular fruit of my labor.

The Lone Tomato

I also have to figure out what to do with lemon balm. My oregano died a thousand deaths, but it’s now a zombie oregano. There is a little bit that’s coming back. Both mints are doing quite well and so are, much to my surprise, my mini rosebush.

Um, don’t ask me about the carrots. That’s just embarrassing.

    Mood: It’s hot and I’m on deadline. Ergo, I’m whiny.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Sweet, sweet legalized drug.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: I’m ashamed to admit there was none.
    In My Ears: White noise, courtesy of my fans. Not the real ones, the electric kind.
    Game Last Played: *coughs* Candy Crush. Otherwise known as the time-sucker.
    Book Last Read: Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon
    Movie Last Viewed: Arietty
    Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures… It’s on the list!
    Latest Fiction Release: “The Button” We Are Dust anthology
    Latest Game Release: A fun Scion: Extras (Supplemental Yet Can Be Somewhat Useful On Occasion Scions)
    What I’m Working On: July 2013’s Progress Report


July 18, 2013
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Apex and The Writer’s Symposium

This year at GenCon, I’ll be speaking on panels at the Writer’s Symposium. Apex Book Company talks about who’s going to be in attendance and gives a shout-out to Firefly.

“One of the disadvantages to being at the end of the continent is that you have to be more selective about which cons you can go. I get one shot a year, so it has to pack in as much as possible. Fortunately, Gen Con fits the bill on the gaming end as well as the writing end. It’s feels like a secret that one of the largest genre-related writing conferences is part of the Con. Almost a ‘con within a con’. If you’re a gamer and a genre writer, there really is no better value. This year will be the 19th Gen Con Writer’s Symposium and my third as an attendee.” — SOURCE: For writers, a ‘con within a con’ at the Gen Con Writers Symposium by Nathan Hall.



In addition to my GenCon panels, I will have a few signings scheduled and a We Are Dust reading for “The Button,” which is a Lovecraftian apocalyptic tale about a female nuclear physicist and the terrifying decision she must make. That anthology will be available at the show.

See you there!

July 17, 2013
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Dribs, Drabs, and Newslings

The Tick Weapons Lab Avatar

Phew! Coming off a very intense “get thine house in order” weekend. My plants are complaining a bit. My dryer busted, too. Feh. It’s too hot and my greenery, save the jalapeno plant, is not liking the humidity. See also: I think my carrots are ready to be pulled up, but I have NO idea if that’s true or not. My endive is looking fairly pathetic, like a scribbly-scrawny green mutation. I’m thrilled my mini rose bush is doing well, but then again… Not sure what to do *next* with it. Will it survive through the fall? I do not know, though I would like to get some purple flowers to off-set the yellow and orange I have — because pink is too girly. [Insert nerdy rant about how pink used to be a boy’s color and it changed for marketing-related purposes.] Where’s Captain Planet when you need him?

Anywho, it’s been wands a-flying there this morning. I’ve added some panels for my Geek*Kon schedule and am starting to prepare for my GenCon events, including a reading, panels at the GenCon Writer’s Symposium, and signings at the Margaret Weis Productions booth. I’m really excited about the release of the Exclusive and am happy to see a lot of speculation about it. We posted a sneak peek last week and that’s gotten some interesting commentary. After that, it’s wrangling all the details for my trip to WorldCon in October.

We’re experiencing an unnatural (as in: hot enough to fry eggs on a sidewalk) heatwave, which means I’ll continue to hide in my house. I wither and shrivel up like the Wicked Witch of the West when it’s too hot. Cold’s more my thing. Well, the Fall — provided we get a “true” sweatshirt-and-shorts season. With hiding, comes the inevitable movie catch-up. I saw Anna Karenina which was a stunning, underrated film. This was spectacular.

And then I saw Upside Down. It was awful. Just… It wasn’t just the non-existent science bits, the romance wasn’t believable, because the starring pair were never not in love. They were separated by memory loss and obstacles, but there was nothing internal that they each had to overcome. Love at first sight made this movie impossible to pull off, because when two characters are already at that starting point and are then separated (but don’t necessarily feel the pain of that) when they get back together, there’s nothing gluing them to the viewer. There’s no tension, no conflict. It’s just: “Meh.” And don’t get me started on the gravity of the… Um… smexx0rs.

In other drabbles, there are many fine games which were nominated for a 2013 ENnie Award. Those announcements went live today and Rimward, which is a game I contributed to, was one of them. Congrats to all!

I’ve also had an update on my first comic. (Yep, that’s not going to get old… Is it?) Last Man Zombie Standing will debut as a stand-alone release from Red Stylo Media. I’ll get the specifics on the date soon. But… Yeah, no pressure. NO PRESSURE. GAH!

That’s all from me today. I’ve got to get back to the dread. office. cleaning. [Insert Booooooooos here.] I need a clutter-free space because a waterfall of words is coming on. When I get like this, you can set me up with a caffeine IV and forgive me for muttering around the house to myself. It’s time to kick all my creative projects into overdrive. Boo-yah.

    Mood: Gorramn it. I hate being trapped inside my house because it’s TOO hot.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Not enough. (Rectifying quickly.)
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Select, Start
    In My Ears: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Changing the channel in 3… 2… 1…
    Game Last Played: *coughs* Candy Crush. Otherwise known as the time-sucker.
    Book Last Read: Shadow something or other. It’s a re-read. Studying, yo.
    Movie Last Viewed: The Arrival. Yep, it’s Charlie Sheen on normal.
    Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures…
    Latest Release: “The Button” We Are Dust anthology and for gaming, a fun Scion: Extras (Supplemental Yet Can Be Somewhat Useful On Occasion Scions)


July 15, 2013
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Because Calisthenics Are Gentler

Spike and Giles... Together at Last

I’ve been on the hunt for period books from the nineteenth century, and I came across this little gem. The Girl’s Own Book was written by Mrs. L. Maria Child and was first published in 1834. Applewood Books has a ton of period historical tomes ranging from cookbooks to this one, which is essential a book of manners with a lot of social commentary attached. I’ve got a copy of the The Boy’s Own Book ordered and on the way.

There is a ton of information in this like poetry, basket-weaving techniques, gardening, games, and exercises. There’s also a lot of illustrations that serve the “how to” aspects of the guide. Here’s an example:

“CALISTHENICS. This hard name is given to a gentler sort of gymnastics, suited to girls. The exercises have been very generally introduced into the schools in England, and are getting into favour in this country. Many people think them dangerous, because they confound them with the ruder and more daring gymnastics of boys; but such exercises are selected as are free from danger; and it is believed that they tend to produce vigorous muscles, graceful motion, and symmetry of form.” — SOURCE: The Girl’s Own Book



For context, the first YMCA was a volunteer-run organization that started in London. In the U.S., according to the YMCA website, centers didn’t open until the 1850s. And, even more remarkably, a freed slave by the name of Anthony Bowen opened up a YMCA in 1853, which predates the Civil War by eight years or so.

So why are these things important? By piecing together different facts, I am building a sociological narrative that I can tweak and apply to my fiction. Or, in other words… I don’t want to bend my rules of worldbuilding without knowing where I can break them.

P.S. Geeking out about a book for cartoonists from the 1920s. This was a reference for Walt Disney. Hee.

    Mood: Procrastination station. Really don’t want to clean the house, but…
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Eh. Not sure if I want to go there.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Up, down. Up, down. Up, down.
    In My Ears: One cat. Snoring.
    Game Last Played: Candy Crush <---I WISH I HADN'T. Book Last Read: Encyclopedia of Superstitions
    Movie Last Viewed: A re-watch of Tai Chi Zero
    Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures…
    Latest Release: “The Button” We Are Dust anthology and for gaming, a fun Scion: Extras (Supplemental Yet Can Be Somewhat Useful On Occasion Scions)


July 13, 2013
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