A Bit About Script Writing

Found scriptologist.com while contemplating writing a screenplay this afternoon. The website has some good information about writing scripts, as well as some great links to movie scripts online.

I have a few screenplay ideas floating around in my head at any given time, but haven't had the time or energy to put them down lately. I'm too busy trying to get Cold Magics finished. It is nice to think about, though, and today at lunch I started doing a script outline just for fun. Maybe once this piece is done, I can take the time to write a screenplay.

I think writing a horror movie would be neat, don't you?

Woot!

I got Drupal working on my website. Time to start a long, slow rebuild process...

You know, it just doesn't sound exciting when I put it like that...

Time to start building my brand-new, interactive, blog-capable, updatable website!!!

That's better!

A Little Marketing Stuff

Been so busy this week that most nights I haven't been home 8 p.m., so what energy I have left has has gone into editing, rather than blogging.

That said...

A while back I came across some book marketing information which looked pretty interesting and sent it home with the idea of posting it here.

So, here are the websites:

http://www.bookmarket.com/
http://www.writerswrite.com/bookpromotion/
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/introver.htm

Have a look, and if you find it useful, let me know. Also, if you find it useless, let me know. I'm curious as to what people think.

Back to learning Drupal for the new website. And editing.

Good Band

Blitzen Trapper.

Heard them on CBC and found one of their videos on YouTube. I like their sound and they've got a nice way with lyrics.

Here's the video for "Furr"

Small Steps Forward

My website (www.erikbuchanan.ca) has been a constant annoyance to me because I simply haven't had the time to upgrade it, nor the money to hire someone else to do it (I have high hopes for the lottery this weekend, but let's be serious).

Now, however, I have taken the first step. I have changed my website from a shell site (hosted as www.web.ca/~erikbuchanan but with my domain name) to a true website, with actual page names and everything.

The next step is recreating it so that it is more content management friendly. I want to have an easily updateable event calendar, my blog, and other nice web 2.0 features there without having to do all that HTML that I'm just not that good at.

So, one small step forward for tonight. And if there are any cheap, good website designers out there who can show me how to build this thing using Drupal, I'd appreciate the help.

Anyone? Anyone?

Beuller?

Two Cool Things!

First:

Dr. Steven Beebe of Texas State University discovered part of a manuscript that appears to be a collaboration between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien called Language and Human Nature.

Second:

In finding this story, I also found the C.S. Lewis Foundation website, which is kind of cool. Interesting mandate.

Well, F**K!

What? I'm lessening the pain.

The pain of what I'm not sure, but there's pain in there somewhere and I am lessening it!

CBC says so!

And now, more editing.

NetworkedBlogs

So I'm running a test here, because I signed up for NetworkedBlogs on Facebook, which is supposed to be running material from my Blog to my facebook page -- my page, not my profile, but it seems to be sending it to my profile. Not certain just yet.

So this is a test. We will see if it is working.

UPDATE: Apparently, the blog needs at least 4 followers on facebook to be visible, so we will see what happens. It's there, and I've sent out invites.

Book Talk from a Literary Agent

Found this blog today at lunch.  Nathan Bransford is a literary agent from Curtis Brown LTD and runs a nice little blog with excellent advice for writers and those seeking an agent.  Also his blog links on the side are well worth a read, too.

Funny enough, I am not in the market for an agent right now, not because I don't want one (I do, and if any are reading, you'll be hearing from me in the future) but because I don't have anything to send to one at the moment.

I'm up to my eyebrows in editing Cold Magics right now. The King Below, which I could be marketing to an agent, is languishing on the shelf in need of a re-write, while my next one is still sitting in my brain, bubbling away like a stew pot getting ready to explode.  Problem is, I need to keep a lid on it because I don't have time to start another project right now.

So not this year, but next year, I will be looking for an agent.  One that handles historical fiction as well as fantasy. I have a cool idea for the next book.

Polaris Wrap Up

Well, I had fun.

Polaris as usual was a blast.  Nice people, good panels, great staff, and the folks at the hotel were very nice to us all as well.  I stopped one of them on my way out to thank them for the great work they did to make us all comfortable.

My highlight of the weekend was when one fan attending one of the panels dragged a friend forward and said that she 'd bought my book the year before and liked it so much she'd convinced her friend to buy it, too.  That's the kind of word of mouth I love to hear.

Got to hang out with some nice writer types, got to see some actors, and got to have a great time while talking up Small Magics and Cold Magics, which I am going to work hard to have ready early next year, rather than late.  I want to have something new to show all the good folks come 2010.

A great time, and if any of the Polaris organizers are reading this, thank you!

Polaris Day 2, Quick Blog

Day 2 at Polaris and I have temporary access to WiFi (Thanks nice Sheraton people!).

I've just downloaded Cold Magics on to here so I can work while I'm standing around, and am looking forward to a great afternoon.  Love the people here.

So, off to work, schmooze and have fun!  Will report in tomorrow! 

Polaris!

Last night was the first night for Polaris 23 and a load of fun as usual. Attended the Blastoff party and got to speak with Matt Frewer, who is a very nice man and told me some interesting things about Doctor Doctor which he did in the 1980's and which was brilliantly funny.

Also got to meet Michael Hogan, another fine actor from Battle Star Galactica and many fine TV series including CTV's Cold Squad. Good actor.

And, finally (among the actors) got to meet the lovely Claudia Black who is as beautiful in person as she is on the screen and a lovely to talk with.

Saw and spoke with various other writers there, too: Douglas Smith, Julia Czerneda, Lesley Livingston, and Adrienne Cress.

Did my first panel at 11 p.m. and had great fun with it, but I didn't get to bed until 1:30 a.m. and my little girl got be up at 7:30. Man, am I tired.

Will be heading over there at noonish today. Looking forward to a good afternoon of schmoozing and book selling.

I'll be doing my reading at 7 p.m. tonight, and panels at 10 and 11 p.m., so do come out if you are in the area. My signing is tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.

Now, time to figure out which bit of Cold Magics I should read. First time reading any of it in public, too. Hmmm...

Look! We made the news!

Blasted Beahiour made the Mississauga News!

Here's the article.

And while you are at it, go vote for the film if you haven't!

Well, crap

I went out doing the nature walk thing with a friend of mine this weekend. I was taking some nice pictures during a conservation walk near Kingston, with the intention of posting them here.

Until I dropped the camera. Onto the path. And it broke.

Crap.

Going to see if I can get it repaired, or if I need a new one.

Blasted Behavior

I did a fun film project for my friend Alex. "Star Wars: Blasted Behavior" takes the star wars hero to anger management. It's a good bit of fun and it's now one of the finalists for the "2009 Star Wars Movie Challenge." Have a look, please vote for us, and pass the word around. The more views, the more votes, the better our chances of winning!

Blasted Behavior

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Countdown to Polaris!

10 Days until I'm at Polaris 23. Looking forward to it. It's a great time with lots of great people, and everytime I go, I meet someone new and interesting.

I'm still waiting to see which panels I'm on, but I will be doing a reading, both of Small Magics and Cold Magics, if I have the time.

So do come to Polaris. It's a lot of fun. Here's the link: