Searching…

Posted on by April 1, 2022

For western art for the next Bell Chronicles book…

Itchy Paw has a gathering called Cowboy Live that runs through tomorrow, so Peter, Dot, and I took a run down there yesterday evening. They have artists of various types that support the ‘cowboy’ life in various forms including artwork, saddlery, liquid refreshments, jewelry, and leather work. And music too!!!

Found a couple of possibilities, and now the negotiations begin! Funny that most of the artists never considered selling art to authors didn’t understand the need for ‘right justified’ focus on the painting until I explained that the artwork has to wrap around and cover both the front and back covers, so the main action has to be on the right side of the painting.

This one would work for a cover. You know there is another cowboy doing ‘something’ which picks up on the back cover.

This one doesn’t… You have no sense of ‘why’ the three are standing there. And if your back cover is busy, you ‘might’ be able to guess that there is a horse there.

Ironically, I found two that not only met that criteria, but were both paintings from Colorado!

If these don’t work, it will be back to chasing through artwork that is out of copyright and hoping I can find something that at least comes close to the theme of the book.

Y’all have a good weekend and stay safe!

This is why…

Posted on by March 31, 2022

We can’t have nice things…

I know it’s April 1st, but sadly this one isn’t a joke post.

Once again we have a lefty REEEEEing about a guest at a con…

Three guess as to whom that is! Of course, it’s the ILOH…

Get a drink of your choice, this is gonna take a while. Sadly, this went down while we were on the livestream yesterday, so I was getting bits and pieces second hand. But thankfully, we’ve learned to screencap this crap when it pops up.

FenCon is a nice little con in Dallas in September. Larry was announced as the Guest of Honor (GOH) not long ago. This set off this person as you will see below-

This went on a while longer, with her repeatedly getting called out about her lies. Which led to her nuking the entire post (h/t to Nancy for the screen caps)!

After that, she went on the FenCon page… And FenCon stood up to her and those of her ilk as you will see below! But the interesting thing is HER comments on this thread trying to claim victimhood… In the interest of this NOT going on all day, I’ve deleted a couple of the intervening comments so you can see Larry’s reply.

Some of you may remember when LTUE tried to boot me back in 2019 thanks to a guy named Luke Peterson who pulled that same crap on me (because I wouldn’t kowtow to his ‘obviously’ superior knowledge). Thankfully, one of my friends saw that thread and captured it, as he pulled the same stunt.

Now I don’t claim to be anything but a Z list author, but I am a grumpy old man, and a conservative. Had it not been for Larry and some others standing up for me, I would have been banned.

Flash forward to 2022, and FantaSci last weekend. We had left/right/center folks there and freely discussing many things in actual CONVERSATIONS! Nobody was screaming at anybody because we were sitting at the same table and actually talking and RESPECTING other points of view. I didn’t see a single flounce the entire weekend.

THAT should be our goal, to celebrate the writing, arts, cosplay, music, etc. that we all enjoy! Keep the politics and BS out of it. Lets just have fun at the cons!!! Dammit, that’s why we go to them!

And yes, the North Texas Troublemakers will be at FenCon in force this year! We’ll be in the bar. 🙂

 

TBT…

Posted on by March 30, 2022

Reaching WAY back this time… For you youngsters, the answers are below the fold. 🙂

Continue reading →

Posted in TBT

A funny???

Posted on by March 29, 2022

Or is this coming true with the dumbing down of STEM and higher math in HS and college???

I really hope not, especially if anybody is designing buildings, bridges, etc…

If you don’t know who Marc Andreessen is, he founded Netscape back in the day, so he just ‘might’ know what he’s talking about…

Back in battery…

Posted on by March 27, 2022

I think…

FantaSci was fun! Great to see old friends and meet some new folks! Six panels, only four of which got out of control…LOL

Sold a few books (yay), and had my obligatory one good meal for the trip Saturday night at the Angus Barn in Raleigh. It’s a steakhouse in what was literally a barn 60 years ago when they started it! It’s a tad expensive, but worth it!

Kudos to the staff for FantaSci, they did and excellent job, and the Doubletree at the airport is a great venue! Friendly staff and willing to work with the crowds!

Of course for every up, there must be a down…

#@%$$#% CATTLE CARS!!! And the stupid mask BS. People are definitely back flying, even as the prices are skyrocketing for tickets. I know a couple of folks DROVE from Texas to North Carolina rather than put up with the flights, and I’m not sure they are wrong!

Anyhoo, I should be back to regular posting and commenting today!

Book promos…

Posted on by March 23, 2022

First up is D.A. Brock with his new series-Texas at the Coronation

As always, click the cover for the Amazon link!

The blurb-

For seventy years after a devastating war, the Republic of Texas kept to itself. But it would be rude not to attend the international naval review celebrating Britain’s new king, George VI. So with war clouds over Europe, Texas sends the elderly armored cruiser, San Antonio, and her new captain, Karl von Stahlberg.

While making new friends and meeting Texas’ ancient foe, can Karl and his men avoid sparking a war?

Next up is Peter Nealan with the second in his Lost series- Shadows and Crows

The blurb-

Brotherhood. Honor. Duty.

After surviving the initial horrors of the strange new world he finds himself in, Staff Sergeant Conor McCall and his Marine Recon platoon—or what’s left of it—have come to a safe haven where they and their newfound allies recover from the most brutal op of their lives.

But with MIAs left behind, there is unfinished business back in the Land of Ice and Monsters to the north.

Before the Marines can mount a rescue, the king to which they are indebted reminds them that alliances go both ways. An ancient evil has raided the Elven kingdom and carried off a priceless treasure. Only Conor and his team have any hope of recovering it.

A brotherhood was forged between the Marines and Elves while in the north. For the sake of that brotherhood, Conor and the other Recon Marines will voyage across the sea, through dark, trackless, and cursed wilderness…

To the lair of evil, in the Land of Shadows and Crows!

And last but certainly not least, Sarah Hoyt with a new book of fairytales- Odd Magics

The blurb-

Odd Magics
This is a very strange collection of fairytales, recast for modern life. In it the prize isn’t always to the fairest, the magic is rarely to the strongest.
But lonely introverts do find love, women who never gave it a thought find themselves at the center of romance.
Doing what’s right will see you to the happily ever after.
And sometimes you have to kiss an accountant to find your prince.

On the road again…

Posted on by March 23, 2022

The Con ‘circus’ for the year is firing up, and a few of us are off to FantaSci in Raleigh-Durham, NC.

If you’re at the con, drop by and chat with us!!!

Needless to say, there will be light blogging (if any), and probably no commenting on any blogs as I’m on a few panels and will be enjoying time in meat space with friends I don’t see very often.

Go read the folks on the sidebar, and I ‘should’ be back to normal blogging next Monday.

Wow…

Posted on by March 22, 2022

If Chevrolet doesn’t track the driver and truck down, and use it in a commercial, they are missing the bus BIG TIME!!!

The red truck will be seen on the left side of the frame.

And somebody is going to have a helluva story for the rest of their lives!!!

And speaking of things that do ‘strange’ things in the wind, how about a BUFF going down the runway sideways thanks to its swivel gear?

(Also known as cheating)…

h/t Stretch for the BUFF video

Here we go again!!!

Posted on by March 21, 2022

Call for stories!!!

We are doing a Haunted Library Anthology to benefit our little local library, the Tom Burnett Memorial Library in Iowa Park, TX.
We are looking for stories involving a haunted library of your choice, 5000-8000 words preferred. Stores are due 15 April to aschultz at iowapark dot com.
This is benefit, so there will be no royalties or payment for stories, all monies will go to benefit the library and the work they do in the local community. We already have cover art and editing being donated.
Any questions, contact me at oldnfo at gmail dot com!
And if we get a bunch of stories, we’ll do more than one anthology!!!

What was said???

Posted on by March 20, 2022

Xiden and Xi talked for TWO HOURS last Friday, yet we have not heard a single peep about what was said.

Where is the transcript? Where is the readout? Where are the outraged pols screaming for both of them?

Oh, right. Dems and Dimbulb in the White House…

What was the 10% for the ‘big guy’ out of this conversation? Are they negotiating to give Alaska back to Russia, or giving it to China to not take Taiwan?

Who was the ‘power’ behind the throne this time? Jill or somebody else? Does anybody see Xiden being able to stay on track for two hours? I don’t.

What we do know is the administration is slow rolling any major support to Ukraine, while at the same time letting Russia be our ‘advocate’ in the Iran nuclear dealings. How is this even possible, much less who thought this was a good idea?

So many questions, so few answers…