Blogetary (Weblog + Commentary = Blogetary)

If you like reading articles and reviews about science fiction and fantasy, check out The  Illuminata, the eZine/newsletter put out by Tyrannosaurus press. You can find it here.

I still need to figure things out on my blog so I’ve been avoiding it. Not responsible, I know, but there ya go. Also been doing some stuff – working on polishing up short stories, finishing others, and getting some paying jobs.

I feel like I’ve been in a holding pattern for the last few weeks. A client’s package I sent back to him got lost in the mail a week and a half ago and just showed up today. Copies of the September issue of Aoife’s Kiss took longer to show up than I thought they would and showed up today. I have been trying to get back on top of the cleaning and upkeep of my apartment, switching over to more natural and environmental and old-fashioned methods and today I saw a cockroach waving it’s antenna gaily at me in the kitchen as if he owned the place.

I am getting some paying work finally, and that’s good. I also need to send out the above Aoife’s Kiss to various peoples and write about my delightful trip to the Chocolate Salon in Pasadena a couple of weeks ago.

And in the midst of all that, Halloween is coming up. And I thought, in the middle of everything else, I would post this zombie poem I wrote back in April for poetry month. Just for fun.

The Problem with Zombies…

The problem with zombies is they’re already dead.
What’s a gal to do short of blow off their heads.
Hope they stumble around enough feeling for their skull
it’s a wonder as she runs off in her heels that she can
get away at all.

Vampires, werewolves, dragons, ghosts –
each have their flaw (of which they, typically, boast)
the point at which they are undone –
Existence unraveling with the rising of the sun.

But zombies are different, they can’t be beat.
The problem with zombies is they can take the heat.
The trouble with zombies is they don’t leave.

In the end, I suppose, the truth will out -

A gal could do worse in a world full of monsters,
then to end up dating a tall, unrotted corpster.

Silly me!  I had a blog contest for the September 2009 issue of Aoife’s Kiss that ended on September 30 and then never drew names! My head has been in the clouds lately. Anyway, there were only three contestants, so I decided all three will get a copy just for showing up. So, Leigh, Christina and Zareen, as soon as I get my copies of the September 2009 issue of Aoife’s Kiss with my short story, The Crow King, in it, then you will get your copies.

YAY!  Congrats, everybody!

We can’t always predict how new friends or cohorts will be, whether or not we’ll get along or agree with new colleagues’ decisions. But we can hope. We can guess, surmise, and be pleasantly surprised when we realize we did make a good decision and these are nice people after all. I don’t know why I’m always surprised when I discover how cool editors are, but I am. And it’s always good.  My most recent pleasant surprise has been being involved with Drollerie Press and the editors and authors.

For one, one of the reasons Drollerie Press does ebooks, besides the fiscal reason that it’s less expensive for all concerned, is that it’s more environmentally sound. It’s a step towards being more environmentally responsible. In addition, however, Drollerie Press has just announced that from here on out, for every book they release – online or in print - they will plant a tree. I think that is just so cool. My sister and I used to plan that if we ever got rich some day, or won the lottery, we’d buy up vacant lots in cities and turn them into parks and greenways. So, of course I think planting a tree for every release is the ultimate in cool.

Though I don’t have the ability to be another John Muir or Johnny Appleseed at the moment, I can support Drollerie Press in doing something similar. The more books Drollerie Press sells, the more likely they will be able to accept more books for submission and then release those books and plant those trees! So, I’m here to hawk those wares and tell you to check out some of their ebooks. Because starting now through October 17 all their ebooks will be on sale for $1.99 AND novellas and anthologies will be on sale for even less! So go check it out!