Musing Aloud

I had every intention of leaving IMMEDIATELY when I got home from my walk, and going to the gym to do weights since I haven't been to said gym for over a week.  But it was still fairly early and so I said, Self, let's just check emails really quick and then we'll go.  To which IDSelf replied, you know you'll stay at it longer than "really quick" -- you should just go now.  But no, I assured myself, just really quick.  But um, first, there's really no emails, so let's check the new postings at LH and oh, yes, we have to vote on Best of Best and well, let's just see how far back our flist goes since I didn't read it yesterday.  AND YIKES!!!! back FOUR pages or more?  How did that happen?  

And now here I am an hour and a half later and still not to the gym and I have lunch in 2 hours so I really need to get going.  But really, LJ has been pretty quiet lately and where did all these posts come from in just one day????  I've lost posts before from going so far back and then taking so long to read that when I go to the next 25 page, the entire flist pages reload and some posts disappear.  But really, I have to get going now or nothing will get accomplished today.  Which is why I find myself in this predicament to begin with.  

I haven't posted much because really nothing much is being accomplished here.  I've been really REALLY lazy and just chilling out.  And wasting way too much time on Spider Solitaire and Bubble Town.  So I have made a resolution.  If I feel like playing a game, I must sit and read instead.  If I'm going to waste time in la-la land, I'd rather do it inside one of the many many books I have staring at me from my TBR shelves.  And yes, shelves in plural, not singular.  If I want to eventually get an ereading device, which I do, I need to get all these physical copy books read first.  And that could take me decades at my current speed. 

As per douglascohen you may have your own personal FREE copy of Realms of Fantasy.  And it looks REALLY easy:  all you have to do is post our banner on your website.   Go to the RoF website and you'll see our banner at the top of the main page.  Click on it to get the code and receive further instructions.

Details HERE

Picked up from my flist -- from a couple of different people, and of course it was 2 or 3 or more days ago, so I can't recall who -- Robin Hobb's opinion on writer's blogs.  I point it out not because I necessarily agree with her, but because I think if you read it you will find a true wordsmith who knows the power and beauty of language and evoking images.  If you have not read any of Ms. Hobb's books, shame on you.  If you're a fantasy lover, you will fall in love with them.  I can guarantee it.  These are the three trilogies I've read: 

The Farseer Trilogy:  Assassin's Apprentice; Royal Assassin; Assassin's Quest
The Tawny Man Trilogy:  Fool's Errand; Golden Fool; Fool's Fate
The Liveship Traders Trilogy:  Ship of Magic; The Mad Ship; Ship of Destiny

So here, go take a look:  Robin Hobb's Home

She has a good point about the time-wasting factor of blogging.  The other day as I was baby-sitting the Grandbaby and bemoaning to myself how far behind I am in everything and how I haven't time to do anything, I wondered how the heck I did it when my kids were little and I stayed home with them and kept my house in top-notch shape.  And then I remembered:  Oh yeah, that was before the internet and before I even had a computer.  Duh. 

I have to confess I've never read an issue of Interzone.  I wanted to read a single issue, but their online purchase thingy wasn't working for me, or they don't sell single issues--I couldn't quite figure out which one, the process seemed overly-complicated for this electronic age.  But I did find Fictionwise, which sells single issues of Interzone.  And since I knew had a story in IZ #211, I purchased it to read "Deer Flight."  First, let me say I enjoyed the story, it took several unexpected turns and twists and kept me guessing all the way to the end.  And I thought the writing pure and evocative, without the over-charged language and emotion that I'm guilty of using.  So I can learn something from Alliette. 

But this brought up for me the whole concept of e-reading and the question being discussed around and abouts:  Will the future of reading be ebooks?  To chime in on the issue, I have to say and hope NO.  Although I love the ease and convenience of being able to purchase stories online instead of filling out a form and snail-mailing it and then waiting and waiting for the post office to deliver it, I have to say there's a tactile sensation of holding a book/magazine and turning the pages that's satisfying for some reason.  Plus I think there's a difference in comprehension in reading something on a computer screen and reading it from a hard copy.  I can't figure out why that would be, but there it is.  And one has to factor in eye strain, too.  Staring at a computer screen for any long period of time gives me more eye strain than reading a hard copy.  I don't have a fancy ebook reader, so I use pdf versions on my computer.  The final point, and almost the most important one for me is the physical presence of the book/magazine.  The old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind" is so very true for me at this age in my life.  If I see the book laying around, I'm more likely to pick it up, but hidden away as a file on my computer just gives me a reason to forget about it or to give myself one of those never-to-be-realized promises of "I'll get to it later." 

Plus I like to look at all the pretty books on the bookshelves.  Which brings to one more final, but only slightly-related point:  How many of you judge a book by its cover?  I was reminded of this when I was looking at the list I recommended the other day at FantasyBookCritic blog.  I have to admit that my first impression of a book is greatly influenced by the cover art.  Pretty cover art makes me want to look into the book more than blah cover art.  It's not ever the final decision-maker, but it definitely is the first impression interest-maker.  So you illustrators are more important that I ever realized! 

One final note:  Any one know of a site to buy single issues of Paradox?  I'm interested in reading one, but their site only lists a mail-in address, and I'm way too lazy for that.

I had something earth-shattering to write here.  Really.  It would have made your heart stop beating.  Really.  Ok, maybe not.  What's that you say?  If it was that important, I would remember it???? HAHAHAHAHAHAH *falls down in hysterical laughter*    You haven't seen the inside of a baby boomer brain then. 

But here's some advice on magazines.  For free.  Yes, you're welcome.  I'm feeling benevolent today. 

I subscribe to two writer's magainzes:  Writer's Digest and The Writer.  I've been receiving WD for several years and have always enjoyed it and gotten nuggets here and there.  But I think I like The Writer better.  Maybe it seems more focused on fiction rather than nonfiction freelance.  So, if you're trying to decide between the two, that's my recommendation.  Of course, I believe The Writer is a tad bit more expensive.

Another magazine that I really find useful is Archaeology.  In another day and age or if I had it to do all over again, I would have loved to have been an archaeologist (says the girl who *hates* travelling).  So I enjoy reading about ancient things that have been dug up.  But it's also been a source of inspiration for story ideas.  And it can add a bit of "real-ness" to a story to have it somewhat founded in fact.  For instance, one article was on bodies that have been dug up out of peat bogs, and there were *real* pictures.  Very cool.  I haven't written a story about it, not yet anyway, but the descriptions of the bodies and the way they were dressed and such were really interesting. 

And that's my advice for the day.