I'm trying to decide what to do about something. I've got two or three options. I hate the unknown. Why can't everything be plain as day? This is why science and engineering are so great. The universe works according to known physical laws. All you have to do is establish your boundary conditions and crunch out the arithmetic. Alas, anything having to do with humans tends to be more muddled and nebulous.
In other news, I've got at least one and maybe as many as four upcoming promotions within the next month or so. :o
Book 3 of Wheel of Fire currently stands at 111,000 pages and change. Still working on it.
I took Monday night off, but every other night since Friday I've done my new rowing exercise along with Ben-Hur and the galley slaves. It's too early to notice a difference, but I swear it feels like I've got just a little extra mass on my upper back. Just wishful thinking, I'm sure. But I still expect to turn into the Hulk at some point. (Not really. (But you never know.))
I've gone the whole spring/summer without getting stung by a wasp or bitten by an ant. I almost can't believe it. And now that I've said that, I'll probably get bitten or stung tomorrow.
I wonder what the record is for "highest body count" in a novel. I suppose any book that involves nuclear or biological war--particularly the post-apocalyptic stuff--will have a death toll in the tens of millions.
That's all for now, I guess. Newsletter subscribers, stay tuned. Announcements coming soon.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Friday, August 10, 2018
Can't afford a rowing machine?
Here's a cheaper alternative.
First, get these or something like it. It needs to have the door anchor that you put in the door jamb. Once you get the resistance band set up in your door jamb, you're ready to row.
Next you're going to put on a YouTube video. You'll only need the audio, so you can set this up in another room so long as the speakers are powerful enough for you to hear it clearly where you'll be doing the rowing. This is the video you want:
In the movie, the galley slaves row on a four-beat cycle. We're going to go at twice that rate. We're going to heave on one beat and ho on the next one. Keep in time with the hortator's drumbeats.
You should be feeling the strain by the time you get to the "ramming speed" part. By the time the hortator says "rest," your arms will want to die.
So there you go. Enjoy your rowing workout. :D
First, get these or something like it. It needs to have the door anchor that you put in the door jamb. Once you get the resistance band set up in your door jamb, you're ready to row.
Next you're going to put on a YouTube video. You'll only need the audio, so you can set this up in another room so long as the speakers are powerful enough for you to hear it clearly where you'll be doing the rowing. This is the video you want:
In the movie, the galley slaves row on a four-beat cycle. We're going to go at twice that rate. We're going to heave on one beat and ho on the next one. Keep in time with the hortator's drumbeats.
You should be feeling the strain by the time you get to the "ramming speed" part. By the time the hortator says "rest," your arms will want to die.
So there you go. Enjoy your rowing workout. :D
Got the promotion I wanted
I applied for a promotion at Kobo and was accepted. I'm pretty stoked. More details forthcoming. :D
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
My kingdom for an acronym
Trying to come up with acronyms is tough, especially when the acronym needs to convey a certain impression but also make sense when all the words are written out. I've got a few possibilities, but nothing so far that really jumps out at me. It's driving me nuts.
In other news, I made a few minor alterations to the cover for book 3. I think it's as good as I can get it. I've got a working blurb, too, but I'll be revising that later.
Speaking of blurbs, I recently helped another author with her blurb, and she used it almost word-for-word for her book. It's nice seeing my "work" on another author's product page like that. Makes me feel helpful and useful and stuff, which is always a good thing.
In other news, I made a few minor alterations to the cover for book 3. I think it's as good as I can get it. I've got a working blurb, too, but I'll be revising that later.
Speaking of blurbs, I recently helped another author with her blurb, and she used it almost word-for-word for her book. It's nice seeing my "work" on another author's product page like that. Makes me feel helpful and useful and stuff, which is always a good thing.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Another successful promotion
I've participated in a number of Patty Jansen's promotions now. Every single time, I've made sales above and beyond what I normally do. This one was no different. Moved several copies of Hostile Planet this weekend. Thanks, Patty! :D
Friday, August 3, 2018
Honor and faith in Excalibur
When most people hear the word "chivalry," they think of men doing favors for women. When I hear the word, I think of this:
Arthur is trying to get the other knights to accept him as king. Some of them, such as Uryens, refused to have a bastard for a king and chose instead to make war on Arthur's ally, Leondegrance (played by Patrick Stewart in the movie clip). Arthur rides to Leondegrance's castle to aid in its defense. This is his first act of feudal loyalty; he's just one boy with a sword and not much in the way of armor, but he has a moral duty to come to the aid of his besieged supporter, so that's what he does. He kills some of the enemy, then leaps from the parapet and tackles Uryens in the moat.
Arthur has already drawn Excalibur from the stone, but that's not enough. There are customs that must be followed, powerful social norms that keep some semblance of order in a time when degenerating into random violence and barbarism would be all too easy. A knight like Uryens won't swear faith to a squire, and no one blames him for that, not even Arthur. So Arthur takes a leap of faith. In spite of the circumstances, he believes Uryens is an honorable guy, and he puts his life in the hands of that honor. He hands Uryens Excalibur and tells him that by knighting him he'll have carried out his mercy.
Uryens is tempted, of course, to keep the sword and kill Arthur on the spot. After all, there can be no honor without temptation, because the whole point of behaving honorably is to do the right thing in spite of all the reasons for not doing it. It's supposed to be a difficult decision. That's why honor is lauded. If it was easy, it wouldn't mean much, and no one would care.
But Arthur judged the man's character accurately. Uryens is indeed an honorable fellow, and he decides Arthur's courage is proof enough of his parentage. He then chooses to do the right thing, regardless of the personal cost. He knights Arthur and swears faith to him, the battle is suddenly over, and all the knights unite behind their new king. They then set out to quell the land. And they succeed, because they're all of a single purpose now. Peace and prosperity rule for years. And it's all because Arthur put his faith in another man's honor--and his life in that man's hands--and that man turned out to be just as honorable as Arthur suspected.
This is part of the power of the King Arthur story, particularly as told in the movie Excalibur. It's not meant to be historically accurate--yeah, yeah, plate armor, etc.--and that's something the critics never seem to understand. It's meant to be a romantic ideal. It's meant to inspire ordinary men into becoming more like Arthur and Uryens. I've heard it said that Excalibur is the only "good" King Arthur movie, and I'm inclined to agree. It's the only movie that really understands what the story is supposed to be all about.
Arthur is trying to get the other knights to accept him as king. Some of them, such as Uryens, refused to have a bastard for a king and chose instead to make war on Arthur's ally, Leondegrance (played by Patrick Stewart in the movie clip). Arthur rides to Leondegrance's castle to aid in its defense. This is his first act of feudal loyalty; he's just one boy with a sword and not much in the way of armor, but he has a moral duty to come to the aid of his besieged supporter, so that's what he does. He kills some of the enemy, then leaps from the parapet and tackles Uryens in the moat.
Arthur has already drawn Excalibur from the stone, but that's not enough. There are customs that must be followed, powerful social norms that keep some semblance of order in a time when degenerating into random violence and barbarism would be all too easy. A knight like Uryens won't swear faith to a squire, and no one blames him for that, not even Arthur. So Arthur takes a leap of faith. In spite of the circumstances, he believes Uryens is an honorable guy, and he puts his life in the hands of that honor. He hands Uryens Excalibur and tells him that by knighting him he'll have carried out his mercy.
Uryens is tempted, of course, to keep the sword and kill Arthur on the spot. After all, there can be no honor without temptation, because the whole point of behaving honorably is to do the right thing in spite of all the reasons for not doing it. It's supposed to be a difficult decision. That's why honor is lauded. If it was easy, it wouldn't mean much, and no one would care.
But Arthur judged the man's character accurately. Uryens is indeed an honorable fellow, and he decides Arthur's courage is proof enough of his parentage. He then chooses to do the right thing, regardless of the personal cost. He knights Arthur and swears faith to him, the battle is suddenly over, and all the knights unite behind their new king. They then set out to quell the land. And they succeed, because they're all of a single purpose now. Peace and prosperity rule for years. And it's all because Arthur put his faith in another man's honor--and his life in that man's hands--and that man turned out to be just as honorable as Arthur suspected.
This is part of the power of the King Arthur story, particularly as told in the movie Excalibur. It's not meant to be historically accurate--yeah, yeah, plate armor, etc.--and that's something the critics never seem to understand. It's meant to be a romantic ideal. It's meant to inspire ordinary men into becoming more like Arthur and Uryens. I've heard it said that Excalibur is the only "good" King Arthur movie, and I'm inclined to agree. It's the only movie that really understands what the story is supposed to be all about.
Book sale! All books 99 cents
It's that time again! Patty Jansen is running her monthly book sale, and she was kind enough to include my own Hostile Planet in the promotion. This your chance to get it at a discount. All books in the promotion are 99 cents.
These promotions are a great way to try out new authors without spending a lot of money. Please visit the link and browse the selection. Independent authors don't have the marketing resources of huge publishing houses, so they rely on each other and on help from you, the readers. And if you do choose to make a purchase, then thanks for supporting us.
And if you decide to give Hostile Planet a try, then I hope you enjoy it. Book 3 is in the works. :D
These promotions are a great way to try out new authors without spending a lot of money. Please visit the link and browse the selection. Independent authors don't have the marketing resources of huge publishing houses, so they rely on each other and on help from you, the readers. And if you do choose to make a purchase, then thanks for supporting us.
And if you decide to give Hostile Planet a try, then I hope you enjoy it. Book 3 is in the works. :D
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