Recent Events and Favorites List

Not too much going on here that's of immediate interest to anyone but me, so I'll write to like I'm writing just to myself so I can enjoy the fact that there's at least an audience of one. Imogene Pass training has tapered, thanks to a broken hubby and lack of self-motivation. But the fact that I have a new Garmin Forerunner has made me very happy and now I'm training on my own just so I can get a look at all that great data after a workout. I'm a geek that way.But the real news (which I've already tweeted, blipped, and facebooked about) is the fact that I finished the first draft of my second novel, Contract of Betrayal. It went so smooth, like warm buttah, compared to my first novel. I still don't have a clue if I'm any kind of good writer, or marketable, which is in some ways more important, but I really do enjoy the feeling of having just created a world out of approximately 8,000 sentences and 90,000 words. It's, as many authors have said, like birthing a child. Don't know how apt that is, and don't wanna find out, but I still get that amazing sense of accomplishment with having created something big with a (quasi) life of its own. The third installment of this series is going to have to wait to be written until I get the first one published, or at least get an agent, as I've got other ideas I want to explore in a novel setting. I say that now, but in truth, it will probably decide on its own when it wants to be written and I will have no choice but to oblige or experience the explosion of my frontal lobe.I am actively looking for an agent now. Writing a query letter has long daunted me, but I'm ready for it, I think. I've had enough time to digest the nuances of the books I've written to be able to talk about them in nuanced ways, cut down into 100-200 word sound bites, instead of getting the shakes at just the idea of trying to talk about my book. This is progress.So that's about it. The blog post title mentions a favorites list, so here it is. A list of my favorite characters in the embarrassingly huge number of movies I've seen (in no particular order).Leads:The Dude – The Big LebowskiRipley – AliensCaptain Malcolm Reynolds – SerenityRiddick – The Chronicles of Riddick/Pitch BlackCarolyn Fry – Pitch BlackMaximus – GladiatorShaun – Shaun of the DeadAlice – Resident EvilOphelia – Pan’s LabyrinthDaniel Plainview – There Will Be BloodKyle Reese – TerminatorSarah Connor – Terminator/T2Alexandria – The FallJohn Constantine - ConstantineAldo Raines - Inglourious BasterdsSelena - 28 Days LaterCharlie Epps - Numb3rsNavar - LadyhawkeVillains:Carter Burke – AliensSarge – DoomThe Terminator – T1The T1000 – T2Captain Vidal – Pan’s LabyrinthColonel Miles Quaritch – AvatarKirill – The Bourne SupremacyDracula – Bram Stoker’s DraculaBrian Gamble – S.W.A.T.Vincent - CollateralThe Jew Hunter - Inglourious BasterdsBounty Hunter Toombs - Chronicles of RiddickBuddies/Secondary:Walter Sopchak - The Big LebowskiDe Jesus - The Big LebowskiHudson – AliensJayne – SerenityZoe – SerenityPantucci – Deep RisingBishop – AliensNewt – AliensHarry Pfarrer – Burn After ReadingChad Feldheimer - Burn After ReadingOsborne Cox - Burn After Reading

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Road Ride

Had a great road ride yesterday with Mr. Universally Talented. Winds were gusting up to 30mph, but it was in the mid-80s and, WTF, we're on the Front Range. If we can't handle a little wind we may as well go back to Oregon, right? We did about 26 miles with 1700ft elevation gain. That may not sound like much, but 1200ft were in the span of about 4 miles, so it felt like ALOT! I was just grateful not to have another viewing of the breakfast burrito I had eaten earlier in the morning. The great thing about this part of the mountains is that the wind is always blowing from the west, and sometimes also from the south. So, as long as you start your ride heading into the mountains and end it heading towards the flats, you'll have a kickass tailwind. Which we did. We managed a span of about 8 miles doing between 30-35 mph. It was suh-weet!

The Trend in Publishing

I have a few friends and acquaintances who've asked me if I've thought about self-publishing or considered putting my books into e-format. There's a genius author and blogger named JA Konrath who writes a suspense/thriller series with maybe the most clever motif for titles I've ever seen: “Whiskey Sour,” “Bloody Mary,” “Rusty Nail,” “Dirty Martini,” “Fuzzy Navel” and “Cherry Bomb.” His genius is the finger he keeps on the pulse of the sea change going in on the publishing industry, most particularly on Amazon and the Kindle. Here's the press release for his newest book and the latest information he's shared involving Amazon's new imprint publishing branch, Amazon Encore. A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Shaken by JA Konrath Press ReleaseI've mentioned to a number of people how the world of publishing is in flux with all the new types of technology being introduced, and basically what it boils down to is: digital is cheap and anyone can do it. With the Kindle, absolutely anyone with a tiny bit of tech-savviness and something written with a word processing program can make their writing available for sale, and set their own price. Seems like a great idea, right? It tempts people to imagine that their writing is just as available to the world as if it were for sale on a shelf in Barnes and Nobles. But the reality is that this is just not true. What publishers offer is marketing, leverage in the industry, and the requisite built-in network to get your name known to everyone and their mothers. You know, things like the New York Times bestseller list, you absolutely don't get there without a publishing house backing you.So when it comes to self-publishing, it's a question of your goals. Do you just want something out there that you can hand to friends and family and say you've got a book in print? Or do you want people to know your name, and give you money?There's that saying that selling one apple for only five cents is still five cents more in your pocket than selling no apples for fifty cents. With so much material now available in e-book format, most of it for pennies, people with readers are like kids in candy stores. Why pay $29.95 for a new hardcover book you might like, when you can pay $1.99, or even nothing, for something else to read until that book comes out on paperback, or even better, Kindle? Most people, especially those who read voraciously, have enough books on their list they want to get through that they have plenty to do until that spendy hardcover is cheaper, or for resale at their local bookstore. The big publishing houses are now trying to figure out how to deal with that, and still make money, and still make the authors money.Amazon may have the solution. With its own proprietary e-reader and its built in consumer base, the marketing practically does itself. With their own publishing branch, people with e-readers can get the books they want for the low price they expect (it costs less than pennies to format an e-book for the Kindle, as opposed to the large print costs to create a traditional book), and those without readers can still get their hardcopy book. It's a win-win for Amazon, and according to JA Konrath, for the author too. This is the trend folks, and Mr. Konrath is proving it.

Movie Review: Robin Hood

WARNING: I simply can't help it. This post most likely WILL contain SPOILERS.One thing is for sure, this movie is leagues better than 2004's King Arthur.  Maybe it’s because I can’t look at Clive Owen without thinking of some kind of man-ape gone wrong thing, or maybe because I just can’t get behind  a 90lb woman wearing a strip of leather, some blue dye, and nothing else beating the crap out of a 200lb man wearing chain mail and heaving sword that’s bigger than she is, with nothing but an antler. But mostly it’s because the film’s narrator, Lancelot, dies in the end, yet still somehow manages to tell the story of what came first and what comes next. I have a very flexible imagination, but that’s just silly. The idea of a narrator is that they’re the ones who survived to tell the tale. Just ask Dilios from 300.In any case, back to Robin Hood. The most extraordinary thing about this film is how completely Ridley Scott manages to transport the watchers back to 12th century Merry Old, which turns out to have not been so merry. Everything from the settings, sets, costumes, weapons, muck and grime brings you there to the point that you can almost taste Friar Tuck’s mead. The lives of ordinary middle-class Englanders are well portrayed, as are those of conscripted soldiers, and all the way up to the kings and queens. The only people conspicuously missing are the poorest class. Despite that, I still expected to see dirt-farming serfs from Monty Python leap out of the grass and start holding forth on the oppressiveness inherit in a monarchy.To be sure, this is not the story of the Robin Hood who takes from the rich and gives to the poor. This is a genesis story of William Wallace in his later incarnation as Robin Hood, with a light seasoning of young Arthur in TheSword in the Stone. Muscle Show, ahem, make that Russell Crowe, does an excellent job of reviving his finer role as an everyman reluctant hero. Among his finest acting characteristics are the ability to be deeply brooding and fiercely angst-ridden, as he so magically showed as Maximus in Gladiator. Though this moviegave him a chance to revive some of that, the character of Robin Hood lacked much of the nobility of Maximus and had a far lesser personal vendetta to avenge, thus limiting the range Crowe is able to carry the watcher through. But, what Robin Hood lacks in nobility and angst, he makes up for in charm and excellent marksmanship.And the villains, oh the villains, they were the cake of this film. With Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey and Oscar Isaac as Prince John, never have two such deliciously evil and slimy cretins wriggled so deviously together on screen. Mark Strong may be the best character actor villain I've ever seen, and he pulls it off with that kind of old world, mustache-twirling elegance you rarely see in your everyday action and explosion Hollywood films like Crank or Miami Vice. I've never seen Oscar Isaac in anything before, but he is definitely one to watch out for. At the same time sinister and endearing, and with the most bizarre looking blue contacts, this little Prince was titillating to watch as he reached for glory only to fall short thanks to his personal vanity and insecurity.The women in the film were about what you'd expect, with a couple of highlights. They actually made Lady (instead of Maid) Marian, played by Cate Blanchett, someone to deal with, giving her armor and a sword and a will to use them. There was also a wise dowager Queen of England who saw the ruin of her son coming, and managed to affect some small influence over the course of events. But on the whole, there were a lot of lusty bimbettes with a thing for smelly yeomen.While it wasn't a movie worthy of Russell's next Oscar, it was entertaining and held enough building conflict to make watchers care about what was to come next. There were a few anachronistic elements, but they seemed to be thoughtfully worked into the script as a way to draw in the modern audience and make us feel more involved with these thousand-year-old heros and cretins. I'd consider this a good late night film to rent on a quiet Wednesday evening when there's nothing much going on.Hey, I don't think there were any spoilers (unless you count King Arthur).

Training to run, running to...well...run

Evil Coach Husband and I have started a marathon training plan called FIRST which requires just three days of running per week: intervals, tempo, and long. It's a 16 week program, but we're extending it a little longer than that because neither of us have been running much since last year--I've been fighting a peroneus brevis strain in my left ankle and something weird, possibly a subluxated fibula, in my right knee, and Coach has just been lazy (only kidding). In addition, the run we're training for isn't actually a marathon, but a 17+ mile trail run from Ouray to Telluride, some of the most gorgeous mountain scenery known to the Rockies. The run is called the Imogene Pass Run and is known for its brutality. Sweet. The best part of the training is the amazing trails around Boulder and their seeming limitlessness. Finnegan, our Irish Potato Hound, is happy about the whole deal as well.We're lucky enough to live a stone's throw from an artery of Boulder's massive inner-city bike trail system. Exactly one mile from our condo are a couple of man made "lakes" (really just ponds) that are encircled by trail. One of them is also fenced and allows dogs off leash. It's a kilometer in distance, and perfect for doing intervals with the dog splashing and sprinting around like a mad hatter. He truly is a nut, but it's pretty cute. Little does he know that this lake will be where he truly learns to swim. When it gets a little warmer, we'll truss him up in our dog PFD and take the kayaks out on the lake. I'm sure he'll figure out how the whole swimming thing works if he gets desperate enough.One of the other perks of this lake is the variety of bird life around there. It's always just teeming with birds singing a symphony, which just wanted something I heard a lot of in Eugene. All in all, life is pretty good here.

Impatience

I woke up this morning itching to jump into the novel I'm working. And I do mean itching. The thing needs to get written, and I mean now. Of course I want to get it done, but I've suddenly found more motivation than ever for a very unexpected reason. About two months ago I had the barest outline of a new story I wanted to write pop up in my head while reading an article in Outside Magazine and just started reading the first book I bought on the research last night. This new story is veritably bursting out of my brain cells, which is making it a little like to cats fighting inside my pillowcase in the ole nugget. I have one story getting close to done, and another wanting to be started. Now I know how Zeus must have felt when Athena was hammering away inside his skull.And just to clarify, this is a very high class problem. I'm not complaining.

What can I say...

I read an article recently where researchers discovered that over-confident people are often the least competent. Hold on there! Stop the press! Are you kidding? I have been described as many things in my life--some not as nice as confident--yet that label has been applied to me. I kinda thought that was a good thing; it's always an ego-boost to hear that you're considered something as esteemed as confident (even if you aren't). I guess I always just thought that when people think you're confident, they believe you when you tell them something--because only someone who is certain they're right is going to come across as certain. Actually, I've field tested that theory and it's proven very true (but that's another story).So anyway, I had a moment today where I realized how accurate that research study actually was. The other part of it that's important to mention is the fact that people who are over-confident, yet still less competent, are also they people who fail to see that their confidence is without basis. It's like a negative feedback loop. Too much confidence means you don't check yourself because you know you're right (even if you're wrong). So here's what I did today that proved this point.I've been thinking about ways to become a freelance editor/copy editor and spent part of my morning applying for copy editing projects. I had just finished a proposal for one when I found another. But it was advertised as needing a copy writer, not editor. The ad was so badly edited that I automatically assumed they were mistaking the term "copy writer" for "copy editor," and I blindly proceeded to write them a proposal touting my copy editing skills, and sent the email off feeling full of benevolence for not pointing out their obvious mistake.It wasn't until later, while reflecting back on the post, that it hit me smack in the brain like a ripe tomato. Yeah, I was the one who made the mistake. They knew what they wanted and were asking specifically for it: someone to write advertising copy. Not someone to edit their copy for them. Doh! I don't think I'm going to get that project. But I certainly have learned a lesson. I'm sometimes not as all that as I think I am might be a good idea for me to remember that more often.

First (new) Post and Boulder First Impressions

Ack! I’ve been meaning to start (ok, re-start) this blog since I moved to Boulder, and just keep finding other things to do. But, dear reader, it is Your Lucky Day! My brain is beginning its countdown to droolius abomicus status due to a very interesting, yet somewhat frazzling, day and I need a break from my book. In the category of good news, the novel is at a little over 70,000 words right now (this is the second novel, those who know me already know that I’ve also written another one. This is the sequel.), and have very good hopes that it will be done, at least the first draft, no later than the end of May. Woohoo! It took me about four years to write the first one, and this one’s come along in less than one year. Either I’m getting better, or I’m getting boring-er. I know, not a word, but I like the alliterative quality. OK, let me just keep this short. Here’s what’s been on my mind since I moved to Boulder.First impressions:It’s as warm as shit here! Uh, sorry, maybe not the best simile, but you get the idea. Even though the temp says 46 F, it usually feels like it’s in the mid-sixties thanks to the dry and the sun. Awesome!The traffic lights believe in pain. I’m not sure if they’re endowed with human-like sadistic tendencies, or the city engineers who decided on the timing, but the results are the same. They’re so short that you have to floor it to get through. The idea of traffic control here is to make it too frustrating to drive a car. Lights are only green for approximately 4 seconds, so if you’re the fourth car back, you get to wait twice. If you’re beyond that, you may get through by dinnertime. Eugene drivers would barely make it into the intersection before that light went from green to red.I’m beginning to regard rain as a strange wet substance that occasionally, for no apparent reason, falls from the sky. And I don’t mind this at all.That’s all for now!