Eeew, the flu. A curse from the heavens if ever there was one. Sickly, nasty, phlegm-producing flu. Bain of all who have too much work in their universes already. Get rid of it, I say. Mankind has no need of such a vile, contemptuous little bug! Join me, all, as I call for the flu's forceful ejection from Planet Earth. Down With The Flu!!!
I’ve been laid up with it for four days now. I’m finally back at work, but UGH! That was a rough four days! 101 temperatures and nasty body aches…I can live without them, thank you very much! The worst part was my wife and I were both sick. Normally, when she is sick, I take care of her, and when I am sick, she takes care of me. But when we are both sick, we are totally useless. Bleaaacchh!!
Anyway, I’m better now. Not 100%, but much, much better. And while we were out the Direct TV guy came and set up our HD package. NFL Network is awesome! I may never watch another station again…except when Lost is on (Lost looks friggin’ awesome in HD, BTW). Oh, and Spongebob, too. Now he’s on more often, which is cool. I luv that little guy!
Anyhoo, y’all are probably wondering about the Big News I mentioned last time, right? Well...me, too. My friend hasn’t announced the news yet, and I am still waiting on the details myself. Which stinks. Again, it’s not MY big news (wish it was), but it’s always nice to see lightning strike so close to home, y’know? Lets me know it can be done, as long as I don’t give up. So I’m anxiously awaiting the opportunity to let y’all know which friend of mine is next in line for the big time. It’s coming…don’t you worry.
Last, but never least, my friend Tyhitia finally sent me her MS to beta read. Woo hoo! I’ve been waiting on that one for months. No, I can’t tell y’all anything about it, but as I read it I’ll be sure to tease you about how I can read it and you can’t (hehehe).
See Y’all!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Big News Is A' Comin'
No, not MY big news. That big news hasn’t shown up…yet. Soon, hopefully.
No, THIS big news is for a friend of mine. I have promised not to say anything until everything is final, so I won’t. But I can’t help but be excited. I AM starting to feel a little bit like the old saying “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride,” only…you know…male. Yeah. Always a groomsman, never a groom. That’s it.
Something manly like that. :)
Anyway, good news for another friend of mine. I can’t wait ‘till I get to tell more.
No, THIS big news is for a friend of mine. I have promised not to say anything until everything is final, so I won’t. But I can’t help but be excited. I AM starting to feel a little bit like the old saying “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride,” only…you know…male. Yeah. Always a groomsman, never a groom. That’s it.
Something manly like that. :)
Anyway, good news for another friend of mine. I can’t wait ‘till I get to tell more.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Is It Just Me?
The following incident is not a recent event, but it has been rankling me for a little while, so I thought I’d seek alternative opinions on the matter (and moonrat, if you are still reading I Have A Blog?, your input would be much appreciated).
Some time ago, the first three chapters of my novel found their way to the desk of an editor (we’ll call her Ed A). Three days later, Ed A emailed me, and told me she very much liked those 3 chapters, and would like to see the rest of the novel. So, needless to say, the remainder of the story was sent to her.
A month later I received another email. It seems Ed A read it, and she liked it, but felt she wasn’t the best choice to edit it. Another editor (let’s call her Ed B) who works at the same press had expressed an interest in reading it, so ED A forwarded the novel to Ed B.
Another month goes by, and I get a rejection from Ed B. Now, that in itself is nothing to stew over. Writers get rejections. It’s part of the business. But this was a bland form rejection.
Don’t get me wrong, I am used to getting form rejections (what writer isn’t?), but it seems to me, after requesting the full and then sending it to another editor in-house, to send a form rejection is just poor form (pardon the pun). I feel since they requested the full I should have gotten at least a brief explanation for the rejection. Too controversial, or not enough sex, or something like that.
This is not a big press, but it is a good press, and I wouldn’t hesitate to accept a contract from them in the future, should they ever extend an offer to me. I don’t have any hard feelings toward them, but I am confused. I could be way off base, but I can’t help but think with as few manuscripts as editors request it would not have been too great a strain on this person’s schedule to let me know the reason the MS didn’t pass muster. Am I wrong in thinking so?
What do y’all think? Is it just me?
See Y’all!
Some time ago, the first three chapters of my novel found their way to the desk of an editor (we’ll call her Ed A). Three days later, Ed A emailed me, and told me she very much liked those 3 chapters, and would like to see the rest of the novel. So, needless to say, the remainder of the story was sent to her.
A month later I received another email. It seems Ed A read it, and she liked it, but felt she wasn’t the best choice to edit it. Another editor (let’s call her Ed B) who works at the same press had expressed an interest in reading it, so ED A forwarded the novel to Ed B.
Another month goes by, and I get a rejection from Ed B. Now, that in itself is nothing to stew over. Writers get rejections. It’s part of the business. But this was a bland form rejection.
Don’t get me wrong, I am used to getting form rejections (what writer isn’t?), but it seems to me, after requesting the full and then sending it to another editor in-house, to send a form rejection is just poor form (pardon the pun). I feel since they requested the full I should have gotten at least a brief explanation for the rejection. Too controversial, or not enough sex, or something like that.
This is not a big press, but it is a good press, and I wouldn’t hesitate to accept a contract from them in the future, should they ever extend an offer to me. I don’t have any hard feelings toward them, but I am confused. I could be way off base, but I can’t help but think with as few manuscripts as editors request it would not have been too great a strain on this person’s schedule to let me know the reason the MS didn’t pass muster. Am I wrong in thinking so?
What do y’all think? Is it just me?
See Y’all!
Monday, February 4, 2008
A Little Note About The Super Bowl
Ok, since I know a lot of you aren’t football fans, I have to ask your indulgence once again. I promise my next post won’t have anything to do with football (I already know what I am going to talk about, too, so it’ll be an easy promise to keep).
I’ve been down on the Giants ever since they knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs, but as I sat watching the game, I just couldn’t bring myself to root for the Patriots. I couldn’t overcome a lifetime of bias toward a team I can’t bring myself to like, no matter how good they are. And they ARE good, there’s no denying that. The numbers don’t lie. 18-1, Four Super Bowl appearances in 7 years, 3 of them wins. Many records set by the offense, including most total points in a season (589), most TD passes (50), and most TD receptions (23). Get my drift? They are a GOOD team. A GREAT team, in fact.
But I still don’t like them.
The Pats are a team I have never liked. Even as a little kid I didn’t like them. I didn’t have a good reason for my dislike, in fact it was a pretty dumb reason, but to a kid any logic can be made to sound like the gospel. I was no different. So here is my lifelong silly reason: Their uniforms were ugly.
Yep. That’s all it took to make a circa 1979 me dislike a football team. Ugly uniforms.
Ok, that’s not the case anymore. Since the mid 90's their uniforms have been kinda cool, what with the new colors and the Flying Elvis logo. Nowadays it’s all about attitude, and Belichick’s attitude and the atmosphere he fosters on his team is, to me, deplorable. I could spend the next hour and a half typing on this subject, but I’ll spare you. Suffice it to say, I think he is one of the lowest-class coaches in the NFL (he didn’t even finish the game, folks! He walked off before the last play. Ok, there was only 1 second on the clock and Big Blue had possession, but still…his team had to be out there, so HE should have been out there with them).
But, back to the Giants. While I have no love for Eli and his crew, I do respect them a great deal, and they deserve it. What’s more, they PROVED they deserve respect last night. So, ok…Go Big Blue. There are several very good things I got to see come out of this Super Bowl:
1) I got to see that big smirk wiped off Tom Brady’s face. That was sweet! The man is a phenomenal QB, no doubt, but he KNOWS it, and his personality shows that he knows it.
2) I got to see Belichick show the whole world, once and for all, what kind of man he is by leaving the field in disgust rather than watch his team lose. The man is a poor winner, and an even worse loser. He may be a great coach, but I don’t think he is a very good person at all.
3) I got to see Strahan and Toomer get their Super Bowl rings. Finally. Those guys deserve it, they really do. Strahan is probably one of the nicest guys in the league. No, I’ve never met him, but I know one or two people who have, and the amount of work that man puts into his community helping others is beyond admirable. I like seeing guys like him win. Good for Michael!
4) This last is kinda selfish. I can’t help but feel a sense of vindication. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Tony Romo is one of the best QBs in the NFL. The guy is awesome, and when he’s on a hot streak, he’s amazing (just watch the Dallas/Rams game if you don’t believe me). So I felt a need to step up and defend him after the Cowboys lost to Big Blue in the playoffs. Everyone tried to blame Romo and his trip to Cabo with Jessica Simpson. Remember all that fuss and muss? Made me sick. SO, watching the game, and watching the Giants defense do the same thing to Tom Brady, made me smile because now everyone can stop harassing Romo about that game. After all, Tom Brady is supposed to be the best in the NFL, and if he couldn’t stand and deliver against Osi, Michael, Tuck, and the rest of the Giants’ defense, then suddenly the Cowboys’ loss doesn’t look so bad, does it?
Anyway, this post is getting long and I’m sure all 3 of my readers have lost interest by now (with the exception of maybe one…you know who you are!). So I will end this here before I dig myself a big hole (hopefully none of my in-laws read this blog…I’d be banned from family functions for life).
See Y'all!
I’ve been down on the Giants ever since they knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs, but as I sat watching the game, I just couldn’t bring myself to root for the Patriots. I couldn’t overcome a lifetime of bias toward a team I can’t bring myself to like, no matter how good they are. And they ARE good, there’s no denying that. The numbers don’t lie. 18-1, Four Super Bowl appearances in 7 years, 3 of them wins. Many records set by the offense, including most total points in a season (589), most TD passes (50), and most TD receptions (23). Get my drift? They are a GOOD team. A GREAT team, in fact.
But I still don’t like them.
The Pats are a team I have never liked. Even as a little kid I didn’t like them. I didn’t have a good reason for my dislike, in fact it was a pretty dumb reason, but to a kid any logic can be made to sound like the gospel. I was no different. So here is my lifelong silly reason: Their uniforms were ugly.
Yep. That’s all it took to make a circa 1979 me dislike a football team. Ugly uniforms.
Ok, that’s not the case anymore. Since the mid 90's their uniforms have been kinda cool, what with the new colors and the Flying Elvis logo. Nowadays it’s all about attitude, and Belichick’s attitude and the atmosphere he fosters on his team is, to me, deplorable. I could spend the next hour and a half typing on this subject, but I’ll spare you. Suffice it to say, I think he is one of the lowest-class coaches in the NFL (he didn’t even finish the game, folks! He walked off before the last play. Ok, there was only 1 second on the clock and Big Blue had possession, but still…his team had to be out there, so HE should have been out there with them).
But, back to the Giants. While I have no love for Eli and his crew, I do respect them a great deal, and they deserve it. What’s more, they PROVED they deserve respect last night. So, ok…Go Big Blue. There are several very good things I got to see come out of this Super Bowl:
1) I got to see that big smirk wiped off Tom Brady’s face. That was sweet! The man is a phenomenal QB, no doubt, but he KNOWS it, and his personality shows that he knows it.
2) I got to see Belichick show the whole world, once and for all, what kind of man he is by leaving the field in disgust rather than watch his team lose. The man is a poor winner, and an even worse loser. He may be a great coach, but I don’t think he is a very good person at all.
3) I got to see Strahan and Toomer get their Super Bowl rings. Finally. Those guys deserve it, they really do. Strahan is probably one of the nicest guys in the league. No, I’ve never met him, but I know one or two people who have, and the amount of work that man puts into his community helping others is beyond admirable. I like seeing guys like him win. Good for Michael!
4) This last is kinda selfish. I can’t help but feel a sense of vindication. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Tony Romo is one of the best QBs in the NFL. The guy is awesome, and when he’s on a hot streak, he’s amazing (just watch the Dallas/Rams game if you don’t believe me). So I felt a need to step up and defend him after the Cowboys lost to Big Blue in the playoffs. Everyone tried to blame Romo and his trip to Cabo with Jessica Simpson. Remember all that fuss and muss? Made me sick. SO, watching the game, and watching the Giants defense do the same thing to Tom Brady, made me smile because now everyone can stop harassing Romo about that game. After all, Tom Brady is supposed to be the best in the NFL, and if he couldn’t stand and deliver against Osi, Michael, Tuck, and the rest of the Giants’ defense, then suddenly the Cowboys’ loss doesn’t look so bad, does it?
Anyway, this post is getting long and I’m sure all 3 of my readers have lost interest by now (with the exception of maybe one…you know who you are!). So I will end this here before I dig myself a big hole (hopefully none of my in-laws read this blog…I’d be banned from family functions for life).
See Y'all!
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